tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13443377677581518602018-02-22T00:31:27.507-05:00Goldilox and the Three WeresVampires and werewolves and witches oh my! A blog about Urban Fantasy and Paranormal Romance...Goldiloxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09688290927670961089noreply@blogger.comBlogger1310125GoldiloxAndTheThreeWereshttps://feedburner.google.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-621300486596925032018-02-22T00:30:00.002-05:002018-02-22T00:31:27.610-05:00Books I Know I'll Love But Haven't Read Yet<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtpmIUyR_Xs/WkrG4_p4dNI/AAAAAAAAmvc/DbhHIddPqjwSuVP_rJjhFdqVGNTJqE1swCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Have you ever had a friend or another book enthusiast describe a book to you and you immediately knew you were going to love that book? Then you go out and buy it and don't get around to reading it for awhile but when you do pick it up you end up loving it as much or more than you thought you would? I have totally done this! Honestly, I think all bookworms have at some point in their lives.<br /><br />I was recently watching some Booktube videos and Jesse from <span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLpO14CMXho">JessetheReader</a></span> had made a video all about some of the books he had on his shelves that he knows he's going love but he just hasn't read them yet. It got me curious so I went through my TBR pile for ten books I've bought recently that fit in this category and it reminded me that I have some books that I just know I'll love once I finally get around to reading them. Let's talk about the ones I found, shall we?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XCXVe7UBVxs/WmqhhgRnDtI/AAAAAAAAm_M/S29Uok8Qsw0ZkGKCHAM656eebOLv-GfsgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/13455099.jpg" width="132" />&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Mechanica</i> by Betsy Cornwell</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's a steampunk <i>Cinderella</i> retelling. How could I not love this one?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="472" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-cagvG9pAPEw/WjsD5pe83VI/AAAAAAAAmgU/s-M9X1rrrp8x5MtEOT8SdzBjipGeATlowCPcBGAYYCw/s200/25446297.jpg" width="134" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Unearthed</i> by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I was sold on this book the minute someone described this as <i>Indiana Jones</i> meets <i>Tomb Raider</i> IN SPACE! It might just be me but I'm more likely to pick something up when it's described as some of my favorite things in space.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dcMvcJPI6wM/WXqe6fxj9AI/AAAAAAAAMeE/IW8IcqhNb20f66Ik4C45KGeXu1wylvyogCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/33152795.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dcMvcJPI6wM/WXqe6fxj9AI/AAAAAAAAMeE/IW8IcqhNb20f66Ik4C45KGeXu1wylvyogCPcBGAYYCw/s200/33152795.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Invictus</i> by Ryan Graudin</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This was described to me by my Best Friend as the "time-traveling <i>Firefly</i> book with a red panda that I never knew I needed" and I totally dig that tagline. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mBHiLTyhZxc/WOFLm5TIcAI/AAAAAAAAMLI/2N_VeZh87949nlMswSGc9bSNU97ZczfVgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/13138635.jpeg" width="131" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>These Broken Stars</i> by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I had a blogging friend describe this to me years ago as <i>Titanic</i> in space and I immediately went and bought it.&nbsp; I still haven't read it but I know I'm going to love it when I finally do.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-89rMFbqrcaI/WFg2_bvsTPI/AAAAAAAAL4I/_atcZ6xioWEX-aVI6NNl4VBRr8XIjehbQCPcBGAYYCw/s200/23203252.jpeg" width="131" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>A Shadow Bright and Burning </i>by Jessica Cluess</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I've had this book described to me as a reverse harem novel that turns the chosen one trope on its head. And I am here for it! Add in the fact that it has magic and an alternate Victorian London setting and it's like catnip for my soul.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xC9kqPhvD70/V5V2ezg_s3I/AAAAAAAALjA/zTB9eH9Bc5USs89E8OFPaSNeElVeDGYcQCPcBGAYYCw/s200/24790901.jpg" width="131" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>The Abyss Surrounds Us</i> by Emily Skrutskie</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I fell in love with book once Gretl told me that it's "a pirate book with <i>Jurassic Park</i>-style created Kaiju developed to defend countries and ships."</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-pQ6tlrQT-mg/Wo5RObBS8_I/AAAAAAAAqEQ/1NBSRfSacy4SJNNOba2Ea5WZ-pLXwNrkwCLcBGAs/s200/30407729.jpg" width="132" />&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>The Dark Days Club</i> by Alison Goodman</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">One of my good blogging friends described this one to me as "an alternate Regency Era <i>Buffy</i> with demons by the author of <i>Eon"</i> and I was instantly sold on it. Seriously. I could read alternate history books set in Regency or Victorian England all day long.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKYNgOV6rbA/Wo5ROa6zlpI/AAAAAAAAqEU/5Jpw0lNsYoM_HSALupizX_Iei5tvvj6OACLcBGAs/s200/32333174.jpg" width="132" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><i>Want</i> by Cindy Pon</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is one of the books I'm so sad I didn't get to in 2017. My friend, Jessie, described it to me as <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983">"a high-stakes futuristic sci-fi thriller that ties in the reality of climate change set in Taipei". Add that to all the good things I've heard about it from other bloggers and I need to read this book ASAP. Also, can we appreciate that the cover hasn't been whitewashed and actually has an Asian main character on it?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="311" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-9bi5MWTYt9o/Wo5TbkEcpnI/AAAAAAAAqEk/MlG2kdEuzbco--uXiHYMmHKKcSFH9G6uwCLcBGAs/s200/29385546.jpg" width="130" />&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b><i>Warcross</i> by Marie Lu </b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983">It's a book about a video game written by Marie Lu about a bounty hunter heroine with rainbow hair. What more do I need to know about it?</span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="312" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q74fY3Olkbo/Wo5UHlPZmeI/AAAAAAAAqEs/AJR5hFsWI3gxUxv7j6qGxuyzXdYfRsmqwCLcBGAs/s200/23113602.jpg" width="131" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><i>Murder, Magic, and What We Wore</i> by Kelly Jones</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983">Oh, look! Another alternate Regency England book with magic and a murder mystery! It's not a surprise anymore that I love these kind of books, is it? </span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983">What books have you bought recently that you haven't read yet but know you'll love?</span></span></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2002093822"><span id="freeTextContainer17714354192781668983"><br /></span></span></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/9gH2s6CZubo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/books-i-know-ill-love-but-havent-read.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-24600305581254386882018-02-21T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-21T00:00:13.682-05:00Blog Tour Review: Sightwitch by Susan Dennard<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GCIgMx8NkEU/WocjPx13-XI/AAAAAAAACbE/OYNIeuiLKtUD1y_MGcLPCy6D0HwFmAAbACLcBGAs/s1600/91QrCSFmO3L.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1061" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GCIgMx8NkEU/WocjPx13-XI/AAAAAAAACbE/OYNIeuiLKtUD1y_MGcLPCy6D0HwFmAAbACLcBGAs/s320/91QrCSFmO3L.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>Sightwitch</b><br />(The Witchlands #2.5)<br />Susan Dennard<br />Release: February 13, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35481848-sightwitch">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Sightwitch-Tale-Witchlands-Susan-Dennard/dp/1250183529/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1517774555&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=sightwitch&amp;dpID=51RZ39YfU8L&amp;preST=_SY291_BO1,204,203,200_QL40_&amp;dpSrc=srch">Amazon</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sightwitch-susan-dennard/1126605020?ean=9781250184283#/">B&amp;N</a> <a href="https://www.bookdepository.com/Sightwitch-Susan-Dennard/9781250183521?ref=grid-view&amp;qid=1517774760497&amp;sr=1-1">Book Depository</a><br /><blockquote><b>Before Safi and Iseult battled a Bloodwitch...</b><br /><b>Before Merik returned from the dead…</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Ryber Fortiza was a Sightwitch Sister at a secluded convent, waiting to be called by her goddess into the depths of the mountain. There she would receive the gift of foretelling. But when that call never comes, Ryber finds herself the only Sister without the Sight.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Years pass and Ryber’s misfit pain becomes a dull ache, until one day, Sisters who already possess the Sight are summoned into the mountain, never to return. Soon enough, Ryber is the only Sister left. Now, it is up to her to save her Sisters, though she does not have the Sight―and though she does not know what might await her inside the mountain.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>On her journey underground, she encounters a young captain named Kullen Ikray, who has no memory of who he is or how he got there. Together, the two journey ever deeper in search of answers, their road filled with horrors, and what they find at the end of that road will alter the fate of the Witchlands forever.</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><br />Going in, you should know that <i>Sightwitch</i> is a little different from the other books in the Witchlands series. In fact, I like to think of it as an actual artifact from that world. In <i>Windwitch</i>, Merik visits Kullen's apartment:<br /><blockquote class="tr_bq">Merik's attention snagged on one spine now, a familiar title he'd seen Kullen reading on the <i>Jana </i>only hours before his death.<br /><i>The True Tale of the Twelve Palladins</i><br />Merik's breath caught. He yanked it off the table in a rasp of leather, a puff of dust. He peeled back the cover. . .<br />Different copy. He exhaled - hard. This addition had a torn first page; the one on the <i>Jana</i> had been smooth.</blockquote>And when you peel back the jacket on <i>Sightwitch</i>:<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hubknmKpEw8/WozKB2ph5NI/AAAAAAAACbk/5j3nC_3iY3A-AFtZos8z6b5LoozonouRgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3199%2B%25281%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1170" data-original-width="1260" height="185" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hubknmKpEw8/WozKB2ph5NI/AAAAAAAACbk/5j3nC_3iY3A-AFtZos8z6b5LoozonouRgCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_3199%2B%25281%2529.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>*gasp* And the first page tells us that "Sightwitch diaries have a way of changing, depending on who reads them." So while most of the book is Ryber's journal, we also have pieces of Erydice's, a Sightwitch who lived a thousand years earlier. The magic (or perhaps the goddess if you ask a Sightwitch) tells us everything we need to know, even though it's more than Ryber intended to tell. Within those journals are maps and sketches and other bits that Ryber collected that help tell the story.<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">&nbsp;<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-h8v4TkSZE/WozMSymVLWI/AAAAAAAACbw/a_L22GJs9hQM1nc6OTv1Ag92kIRk5AlugCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3200.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1407" data-original-width="1293" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0-h8v4TkSZE/WozMSymVLWI/AAAAAAAACbw/a_L22GJs9hQM1nc6OTv1Ag92kIRk5AlugCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_3200.jpg" width="183" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">My only real criticism is that I wish I could tell which parts Ryber added, like with whatever the Witchlands equivalent of tape or paperclips would be at the corners to give more of a scrapbook feel. I feel like the pages are too clean, though there instances where Ryber's made notes in the margins, which I love.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9krCSpwHWY4/WozMUlODhkI/AAAAAAAACb0/8Bdxfvmnj58CThwCS1YakwPnX8QMXyu2gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3202.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1476" data-original-width="1600" height="184" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9krCSpwHWY4/WozMUlODhkI/AAAAAAAACb0/8Bdxfvmnj58CThwCS1YakwPnX8QMXyu2gCLcBGAs/s200/IMG_3202.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>As readers we learn the history of the Witchlands along with Ryber and her friend Tanzi, including the origins of their magic and the story behind the construction of the underground city in <i>Windwitch</i>. I found those stories just as fascinating as Ryber and Erydice's own. It's so compelling, I read it more or less in one sitting. (It was a snow day, so I did have to pause for some kid-related trips to the kitchen.)<br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><i>Sightwitch</i> is set a year before <i>Truthwitch</i>, so it is technically a prequel, but I agree with the decision to call it book 2.5. Learning the world's mythology is so much more meaningful when you're already invested. I also think it would be frustrating to go from this story to <i>Truthwitch</i> where Ryber and Kullen play such small parts in the story. And I have so many theories about where the series is headed now that I know what the endgame is. At least, I think I do. I even have a (very spoilery) idea about the title of book four.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I've just been fascinated by the entire Witchlands series. I'm happy that I read <i>Windwitch</i> and <i>Sightwitch</i> together though, because I feel like there's so much going on in all of these books. If you want to refresh your memory but don't have time for a reread,&nbsp;Susan Dennard has done these really fun gif recaps of both of the previous books,&nbsp;<a href="https://storify.com/stdennard/truthwitch">Truthwitch</a>&nbsp;and <a href="https://twitter.com/stdennard/status/963519386383417345">Windwitch</a>. Even if you don't need a refresher, I highly recommend them.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">4.5&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;stars</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>My posts about other books in this series:</b><br /><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/throwback-thursday-read-this-fing-book.html">Truthwitch</a><br /><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">About the Author</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZPa6HHMpJw/WochyjBjYSI/AAAAAAAACa4/9oSrm5JMAik9iRE7of6P4kyOfKj93GQlgCLcBGAs/s1600/Susan_square1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="1200" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JZPa6HHMpJw/WochyjBjYSI/AAAAAAAACa4/9oSrm5JMAik9iRE7of6P4kyOfKj93GQlgCLcBGAs/s200/Susan_square1.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’ve come a long way from small-town Georgia. Working in marine biology, I got to travel the world—six out of seven continents, to be exact (I’ll get to you yet, Asia!)—before I settled down as a full-time novelist and writing instructor.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I’m the author of the Something Strange and Deadly series as well as the New York Times bestselling Witchlands books, <i>Truthwitch</i> and <i>Windwitch</i>, and if I’m not writing, then I’m busy slaying darkspawn or earning bruises at the dojo.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I live in the Midwestern US with my French husband, two spoiled dogs, and two grouchy cats. Learn more about me and my cookie-addiction on the<a href="http://susandennard.com/blog-2/"> blog</a>, <a href="http://us3.campaign-archive1.com/home/?u=cdd0d036e9531dd416bf945b3&amp;id=11e0c331be">newsletter</a>, <a href="http://twitter.com/stdennard/">twitter</a>, <a href="http://instagram.com/stdennard">instagram</a>, or <a href="http://pinterest.com/stdennard">pinterest</a>.</div></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/PgMLXuKQPPk" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/blog-tour-review-sightwitch-by-susan.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-10579487953791039892018-02-16T00:30:00.000-05:002018-02-16T00:40:45.656-05:00Manga Series Review: Finder Deluxe Editions, Vols. 1-5I've been going back and forth on how I'm going to do these manga series reviews. I've toyed with doing a similar post to our Read This F@!%ing Book posts or to do a series of Really Short Reviews. For now, I've decided to go the Really Short Reviews route with a short manga primer before hand.<br /><br />So let's talk about m/m romance manga. These manga are frequently called Boys Love and fall into two main categories: yaoi and shounen ai. Shounen Ai is the non-explicit m/m romance manga and Yaoi is the explicit version. Both of these manga genres are aimed towards women while Bara is the mange genre that is targeted towards gay males.<br /><br />The series I'm reviewing today falls into the Yaoi category. Something you need to keep in mind about Yaoi is that it perpetuates a problematic trope. That trope being that of non-consensual sex or sex with dubious consent. Way too many of the romances in this genre start off with rape. If that bothers you, Yaoi is not for you.<br /><br />So let's talk a bit about each volume. My reviews aren't going to be long and will just be a few of my thoughts about them. I will be honest. The <i>Finder</i> series does use that non-con sex trope. I know it's problematic but I can't help but love it a lot though.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p4JYel3Cmdo/WoY_29JOGZI/AAAAAAAAqDk/kv-03-UHTBoQJ0wgM1T5eK8YVI6ERsT6QCLcBGAs/s320/32919017.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><b>Finder Deluxe Edition: Target in Sight, Vol. 1 </b><br />(Finder Deluxe Edition #1)<br />Ayano Yamane<br />Release: June 13, 2017<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32919017-finder-deluxe-edition?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/142159305X/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=142159305X&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><blockquote><span id="freeText9747973022294240279">Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!<br /><br />This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.<br /><br /> Freelance photographer Akihito Takaba is captured by the very subject he’s been stalking in his viewfinder—the handsome and enigmatic crime lord Asami Ryuichi! The older man ravages him, both body and mind. Does this mean the end for the naive photographer, or will he live to shoot another day?</span></blockquote><br /><b>Review:</b><br />This whole <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1961850602"><span id="freeTextContainer9863777347401171340">volume sets up the initial meeting between our two love interests. It's the story of young photographer who goes looking for a scoop and becomes entangled with a brutal and kinky Yakuza boss and all the problems that comes with this.</span></span><br /><br /><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1961850602"><span id="freeTextContainer9863777347401171340">I love Takaba Akihito and how determined he is! As much as I like him, he does make some stupid decisions. I've reread this volume every time but every time I'm struck about how mysterious and cruel Asami Ryuichi is and how much I want to know more about him.&nbsp;</span></span><br /><br /><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer1961850602"><span id="freeTextContainer9863777347401171340">This volume was a good start to the series. </span></span><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a><span style="font-size: large;"><b>&nbsp;1/2</b></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b> 3.5 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2aLNSjq4wFI/WoY_3EWVd1I/AAAAAAAAqDs/zAuNbMJA33oMCRi9VOQDcIK5OZ38gRP9QCEwYBhgL/s320/32919018.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Finder Deluxe Edition: Caught in a Cage, Vol. 2 </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Finder Deluxe Edition #2)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ayano Yamane</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: August 8, 2017</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32919018-finder-deluxe-edition?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Deluxe-Caught-Cage-Vol/dp/1421593068/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1421593068&amp;pd_rd_r=WABG0EGWGXQDFDD3FWR7&amp;pd_rd_w=9cNK9&amp;pd_rd_wg=hoFw3&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=WABG0EGWGXQDFDD3FWR7">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText8863901801749242617">Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!<br /><br />This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.<br /><br /> Impulsive freelance photographer Akihito Takaba isn’t one to back down from a challenge. Undeterred by the ravaging his body took at the hands of crime lord Asami Ryuichi, Akihito stakes out the handsome crime boss’s club hoping to get the information he needs to take him down. Meanwhile, rival mafioso Fei Long returns to Hong Kong after his run-in with Asami and reminisces about their time together seven years earlier. What could the future possibly hold for this very deadly love triangle?</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This volume is all about furthering the tension between Asami and Akihito. There's a stake out at Asami's club and the introduction of a character who is going to be a big part of the series later. Fei Long is an interesting yet brutal addition and we get to see more of his back story in the later part of this volume. The world is getting bigger and this manga is getting more and more interesting.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1/2</b></span></div>&nbsp;<b> 3.5 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-NxRDYRwJvgI/WoY_3nzHw7I/AAAAAAAAqDw/AE3K7EVWuPIrF5-qcIJM-KYDP1GrqdgcwCEwYBhgL/s320/34466580.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Finder Deluxe Edition: On One Wing, Vol. 3 </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Finder Deluxe Edition #3)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ayano Yamane</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: October 10, 2017</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34466580-finder-deluxe-edition?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Deluxe-One-Wing-Vol/dp/1421593076/ref=pd_bxgy_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1421593076&amp;pd_rd_r=9098CGM95N2C4AK1097C&amp;pd_rd_w=B8Kud&amp;pd_rd_wg=FE5q3&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=9098CGM95N2C4AK1097C">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText5838893510429544480">Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!<br /><br />This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! In Finder, Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.<br /><br /> Freelance photographer Akihito Takaba has something Fei Long wants, and the crime boss will stop at nothing to get it, including kidnapping the young photographer’s friends! Akihito turns to the only person he can think of for help, Fei Long’s former lover and current rival Asami Ryuichi. But when Asami’s old flame meets his new replacement, sparks fly!</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This volume sees the return of Fei Long and things get really interesting as he targets Akihito for something. <span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer45927626"><span id="freeTextContainer13227256292860420765">Akihito's friends get kidnapped and he becomes the pawn in the game between Asami and Fei Long as he tries to get them back. Things happen and through his reckless behavior Akihito gets himself in the worst trouble he's been in yet.</span></span> The drama ramps up in this volume and I am here for it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div>&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="281" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hEGRdWYMUws/WoY_2xmQYFI/AAAAAAAAqDo/T1PHbYyiHhAv4FKYdvV1Buv3ktl12nqegCEwYBhgL/s320/34466570.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Finder Deluxe Edition: In Captivity, Vol. 4 </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Finder Deluxe Edition #4)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ayano Yamane</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: December 12, 2017</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34466570-finder-deluxe-edition?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Deluxe-Captivity-Vol-4/dp/1421593084/ref=pd_bxgy_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1421593084&amp;pd_rd_r=00Q45DBPVQS4C1RYCYDB&amp;pd_rd_w=Uyd38&amp;pd_rd_wg=08yZ3&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=00Q45DBPVQS4C1RYCYDB">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText10559682602518793721">Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!<br /><br />This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.<br /><br /> Impetuous photographer Akihito Takaba finds himself in trouble again! After pursuing crime boss Fei Long, he’s captured and spirited away to Hong Kong, but not before Asami takes a few bullets during a failed rescue attempt. Now all the despondent Akihito can think of is whether or not his lover is alive, and if so, are Asami’s feelings strong enough to attempt yet another rescue?</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>In Capitivy</i> is the main meat of the Hong Kong arc and it is full of pain, drama, and tension. Asami and Fei Long are injured and Akihito has been kidnapped by the Baishe triad. This chapter is much darker than the previous ones but there's a lot of action and plot advancement. There's also quite a bit of non-consensual sex.<br /><br />This volume was the most gripping of the series so far in my opinion but it ends on a cliffhanger that just about killed me when I first read it in its first English translation. Things don't go as planned but it acts as a killer set up for the next volume. What I loved the most about this one is that we finally FINALLY get some indication of Asami's feelings and I am here for it! It's a problematic relationship but I can't help but ship it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div>&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wJnttz9DnQk/WoY_3xzUGDI/AAAAAAAAqEA/n9cKDFmHShMLcGd7q7SpWsFaxze9gfMAQCEwYBhgL/s320/35606581.jpg" width="224" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Finder Deluxe Edition: The Naked Truth, Vol. 5 </b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Finder Deluxe Edition #5)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Ayano Yamane</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: February 13, 2017</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35606581-finder-deluxe-edition?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Finder-Deluxe-Naked-Truth-Vol/dp/1421593092/ref=pd_sim_14_2?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1421593092&amp;pd_rd_r=1B37ZSJKFFHCB6PE3FSW&amp;pd_rd_w=YJ8WY&amp;pd_rd_wg=xOMva&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=1B37ZSJKFFHCB6PE3FSW">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText5510997646226618736">Pain and pleasure collide when a sophisticated underworld boss crosses paths with a naive photographer hell-bent on bringing him down!<br /><br />This deluxe edition includes never-before-released material as well as a double-sided color insert and special cover treatment! Photographer Takaba Akihito takes on a risky assignment trying to document the illegal activities of the Japanese underworld. When he captures its leader—the handsome, enigmatic Asami Ryuichi—in the crosshairs of his viewfinder, Takaba’s world is changed forever.<br /><br /> Crime boss Ryuichi Asami puts everything on the line to save his lover, Akihito Takaba, from the hands of his enemy. Unfortunately for them, Fei Long has grown quite fond of his captive. Meanwhile, Russian mafioso Mikhail Arbatov takes advantage of the situation to steal something precious. When three of the underworld’s biggest crime bosses clash, will Akihito be the one caught in the cross fire?</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This volume marks the end of the Hong Kong and it was an explosive conclusion to that arc! I could not put this book down! It is action-packed with violence, intrigue, and sexual tension in spades! Asami’s spy has been discovered. The Russian Mafia has come on the scene and asserts their power by abducting Akihito from Fei Long. Asami's plan goes pear-shaped and he proves just how far he is willing to go to get Akihito back. The characters have reached a new level. Now, they all feel three-dimensional and very real. We get the full story from so many POVs and I love it! <br /><br />But my most favorite thing about this volume though? I am here for all of the Asami and Akihito page time. Asami gets Akihito back about halfway through and we get to see how their relationship has change since they've been apart and how they have grown together. The second half was tender, revealing, and really quite steamy!<br /><br />Overall, this volume is the best of the series so far! And I can't wait to see what happens now that Asami and Akihito are back in Japan. Everything was wrapped so well in this volume that I have no idea what's going to happen next!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<span style="font-size: large;"><b>1/2</b></span></div>&nbsp;<b> 4.5 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/e4mqrcBbJJE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/manga-series-review-finder-deluxe.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-65297956345278366392018-02-14T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-14T00:00:14.465-05:00We Love Lists: Romance Trend Predictions<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jU9KVO4mp6w/WkqiphcS6aI/AAAAAAAACWw/yyeeupJ73ooQUUJyS8Hmrv28W8Kezf5wgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/IMG_2917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-jU9KVO4mp6w/WkqiphcS6aI/AAAAAAAACWw/yyeeupJ73ooQUUJyS8Hmrv28W8Kezf5wgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Happy Valentine's Day everyone! For the last few weeks, all the romance writers in my Twitter feed have been dreading the romance-bashing articles that were sure to appear leading up to today. I think they were pleasantly surprised when Buzzfeed published this article by Jamie Green called&nbsp;<a href="https://www.buzzfeed.com/jaimegreen/who-gets-a-happily-ever-after-in-2018-romance-novels?utm_term=.ve5nRGGpa">Who Gets A Happily Ever After In 2018?</a>&nbsp;It talks about the ways in which romance novels are making a political statement.&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div>While it wasn’t exactly the point of the article, I was struck by a paragraph about how romance trends respond to the political climate: “In the ’80s, office-set romances were a site for playing out power struggles that many women were, for the first time, experiencing. Post-9/11 paranormal romance offered heroes who could literally save the world. And after the 2008 financial crisis came the billionaires.” And it got me thinking about what trends we might be seeing in the next year or two. Here are some predictions:<br /><br /><b>Female politicians and women running for office</b><br /><div>For the past year we've seen the women in Congress become some of the loudest voices of resistance. And thousands of women all over the country are running for office. They are sure to inspire a few romance heroines.<br /><br /><b>Blue collar heroes (the anti-billionaire)</b></div><div>2018 will see the last of the Fifty Shades movies, so maybe it will also mark the end of the billionaire trend? Even the cowboys and rock stars in romance novels are so often rich ones. Since we've seen so many rich, powerful men exposed as sexual predators lately, it might be time for the "regular guy" hero to have his turn.</div><div><br /></div><div><b>Characters who are community organizers, human rights attorneys</b></div><div>Okay so there are already some "regular guys" in police and firefighter romances, but I think there are lots of other heroic professions to explore. And there's no reason those activists, or those firefighters for that matter, have to be men.<br /><br /><b>Natural and environmental disasters</b>&nbsp;</div><div>With all of the hurricanes, earthquakes and forest fires we saw in 2017, I can't imagine natural disasters not working their way into some stories.<br /><br /><b>Hackers and cybercrime cops</b></div><div>I loved Megan Erickson's <i>Zero Hour</i> that released last month. It's the first in a series about hacker heroes. Since data breaches and propaganda campaigns have been in the news so much in the last year, I expect we'll see the subject even more in the future.<br /><br /><b>SciFi and Fantasy romance</b></div><div>We've just established that the real world is full of natural disasters, billionaire predators and cybercriminals so it makes sense that more people would want to escape to a completely fictional place. And the success of series like Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker Chronicles is sure to encourage more SFF romance. (A few hours after I wrote this paragraph I saw <a href="http://www.syfy.com/syfywire/the-epic-world-of-sci-fi-and-fantasy-romance-novels?amp">this article</a>&nbsp;by Kayleigh Donaldson on SyFyWire, so I'm not the only one who thinks the genre is one to watch.)</div><div><br /></div><div><b>More diversity&nbsp;</b></div><div>We're already seeing more diverse romance than we did a few years ago. The legalization of gay marriage in 2015 led to more LGBTQ romances, for example. But I expect the percentage will continue to grow. And all the media attention on&nbsp;immigrants&nbsp;lately will probably inspire more people to write about them, as well as other POCs. I also think there's been a focus on POC and LGBTQ Own Voices works in YA, so adult romance will eventually catch up.</div><div><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What do you think the next romance trends will be?</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><br /></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/5S4Fc93JjIs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/we-love-lists-romance-trend-predictions.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-74191209876235212882018-02-12T00:30:00.000-05:002018-02-12T02:48:57.535-05:00Comic Review: Voltron Legendary Defender, Vols. 1-2About a year ago, my godkids were raving to me about a cartoon on Netflix called <i>Voltron: Legendary Defender</i> and I will admit they made me interested in watching it. I had seen a few clips from the old anime it's a remake of but I really knew nothing about it going in. I LOVED IT! It's cheesy space opera-y goodness that is just plain fun to watch. I love the characters and they each have their quirks. I binge watched the first two seasons in a day. And it just keeps getting better and better with each new season they add.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="223" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8MguNMXUsk4/WoFGEXrJU3I/AAAAAAAAqDU/zjUtPajiP7sfJfCra_1H8R38ttIYuaK0ACLcBGAs/s400/vld.gif" width="400" /></div><br /></div>So while I was waiting for Season 3 to be released, I discovered that they had created a comic based on the show. I immediately went to my local comic bookstore and bought it. I loved it too! When Volume 2 of the comic went up as Read Now on Netgalley, I had to download it. I wasn't disappointed! So in celebration of Volume 2's release tomorrow, I'm going to share a few of my non-spoilery thoughts on each volume.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fcXrsZT43h4/WnpRY-SKtpI/AAAAAAAAnC0/8S-DwXkIVGojeSpBllB-_wxOKIn5d1-VQCEwYBhgL/s320/32479628.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><b>Voltron: Legendary Defender, Vol. 1:</b><br />(Voltron: Legendary Defender #1)<br />Time Hedrick, Mike Iverson, and Digital Art Chefs<br />Release: February 7, 2017<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32479628-voltron">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1941302211/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1941302211&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><blockquote><span id="freeText8996223348952164379"><span id="goog_1304928473"></span><span id="goog_1304928474"></span>This trade collects the first comic book chapter of the epic series airing on Netflix. From days of long ago, from uncharted regions of the universe comes VOLTRON: LEGENDARY DEFENDER! When Team Voltron takes on a dangerous training mission in deep space, Coran, Princess Allura's majordomo, is captured by an ancient enemy. It will take teamwork, smarts, and, of course, Voltron, to save their friend's life. This galaxy-spanning adventure is a never-before-seen chapter of the epic animated series reboot by show writers Tim Hedrick (Avatar: The Last Airbender) and Mitch Iverson.</span></blockquote><br /><b>Review:</b><br />Before you read this comic, you really should go watch the tv show. This volume acts as a side story to the cartoon and takes place after the events in Episode 10 of Season 1. And it's all about a paladin training exercise gone awry which always makes for fun times for the Voltron crew.<br /><br />I really enjoyed reading this volume. It was fast-paced and action-packed while also managing to retain the quirkiness and humor of the show while giving us more insight into the paladins and their personalities. I absolutely adore the art style of this comic. It's very similar to the animation style of the show and it's awesome!<br /><br />If you haven't watched the show, go do that now! And if you're like me and just want more <i>Voltron</i> goodness, go and grab a copy of this volume. You won't be disappointed!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><b><br /></b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="308" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-h-Q41eZYdWY/WnpSbzCEclI/AAAAAAAAnDA/yRZ6XVMzBDUFxRRzFx5XL78nlpCjsHGbQCLcBGAs/s320/37859059.jpg" width="207" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Voltron: Legendary Defender, Vol. 2: Pilgrimage</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Voltro: Legendary Defender #2)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Tim Hedrick, Mike Iverson, and Rubine</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: February 13, 2018</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37859059-voltron">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Voltron-Legendary-Defender-Vol-Pilgrimage/dp/1941302351/ref=pd_sim_14_3?_encoding=UTF8&amp;pd_rd_i=1941302351&amp;pd_rd_r=W0YS2TTDT3NA2918B19E&amp;pd_rd_w=y5Mgw&amp;pd_rd_wg=FV7Vv&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=W0YS2TTDT3NA2918B19E">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText3996772939778078485">When the Voltron Paladins respond to a distress call, they discover a group of alien settlers on a mining planet under attack by the Galra. The five daring pilots must then escort the convoy of rescued settlers to their new home. To succeed they must cross into increasingly dangerous territory, successfully navigate amongst frightening predators and colossal beasts, and battle the evil Galra!</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2278094445"><span id="freeText14245866925200748872">I enjoyed the first volume of this comic series, but I LOVED this one! It was amazing! The events in this trade take place after Episode 3 in Season 2 and are full of lots of Hunk moments and a really cool new alien race who thrives on fighting! This comic really embodies everything I love about this franchise remake.</span></span><br /><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2278094445"><span id="freeText14245866925200748872"><br /></span></span><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2278094445"><span id="freeText14245866925200748872">The art in this one is just as awesome as the first volume and still contained the humor and quirkiness that defines this series for me. I loved discovering more about this new alien race and seeing the paladins interact with them. I flew through this volume and before I knew it I had run out of pages. My favorite part of this volume probably had to be Lance giving love advice to Hunk. It was kind of hilarious.</span></span><br /><br /><span class="readable" id="reviewTextContainer2278094445"><span id="freeText14245866925200748872">As soon as I finished, I wanted more! I can't wait to see what other stories they can tell us about the paladins' adventures in this format. I'm hoping the next volume has more Keith or Shiro moments. I want to know more about them. *crosses fingers*</span></span></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div>&nbsp;<b> 5 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/oDszGAUdPjw" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/comic-review-voltron-legendary-defender.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-90011945990033405902018-02-09T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-09T00:00:17.892-05:00Weres Wanna Know: How does your environment affect your reading choices? (Thoughts on Mood Reading and #MeToo) <div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bEzYkf_2-Jo/Vs-LBcXoceI/AAAAAAAALNA/cnngBrpfV_s62vRUa5GNyv0ftxlXp8p_QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/2.jpg" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div>We’re probably all mood readers to one degree or another. Maybe you want to get in the mood for winter by reading all the snowbound romances. Or you might want to read them in the middle of summer to take your mind off the heat. Maybe you moved away and want to read a book set in your hometown. Or you’ve just been through a break up and want to binge feel good rom-coms. <br /><br />The mood that strikes me most often is review book burnout. I just don’t want to think about what I’m reading that much. I don’t want to take notes and I definitely don’t want to write more than two sentences on Goodreads when I’ve finished. Sometimes when that happens I pick up a light hearted contemp romance from Alice Clayton, Emma Chase or Lauren Blakeley. And sometimes I go dark with someone like Annika Martin or Skye Warren. But most of the time, my go to slump buster is shifter PNR.</div><div><br />I was in one of those moods in November where I just wanted to read all shifters all the time. But I found that against the backdrop of #metoo, shifters just didn’t work for me. I could no longer abide an alpha male who threw the heroine over his shoulder and dragged her back to his lair to mate. I’m not saying that all shifter romances are like that, but I picked up three in a row that were. And I’m not OK with that.<br /><br />I have a feeling that I’m not the only one, that as a society we’re becoming more aware of the issue. And I hope that it’s a permanent shift. I for one am going to keep calling out the problem when I see it. You might have noticed more comments about consent in my reviews lately.<br /><br />At the same time, I’m afraid that some of my old favorite books may now be problematic. Did I just accept that behavior as a shifter trope and overlook it? I’m not sure. I can’t think of a specific example. I’ve always had problems with overly controlling alpha males and have written about them in reviews. So maybe I’ve been aware it was an issue but didn’t have the tools to express it. I’m not going to stop reading PNR, I just might approach it differently than I did a year ago. <br /><br />What’s going on in our lives and our surroundings is bound to impact our book choices. However, I can’t think of anything in my life that’s caused a shift in perspective like the #metoo movement.</div><div><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">How has your mood or your environment impacted your reading choices?</span></h2></div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/83/2017/12/2018-Discussion-Challenge.png" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We're participating in the 2018 Discussion Challenge.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Check out all the <a href="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/2018/02/february-2018-discussion-challenge-link-giveaway/">February discussions</a>!</div><div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/B0v6ei4U3EE" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/weres-wanna-know-how-does-your.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-70393899871153563912018-02-08T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-12T13:40:59.350-05:00Throwback Thursday Read This F@!%ing Book: Truthwitch by Susan Dennard<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>One of the suggestions from our recent survey was that we should do Throwback Thursday. The idea was really for social media, but I thought it would also be a good way to refresh our memories before the next book in a series comes out.<br /><br /><i>Sightwitch</i> releases on February 13 and I'm working on a blog tour post for the following week. Next week I'll be posting my review of <i>Windwitch</i>. But today, let's look back at how it all started with a Read This F-ing Book post I wrote in March of 2016. (See the original post <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/search?q=Truthwitch">here</a>.)<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br /></b><img alt="Read This F@!%ing Book!" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-yA17ERH_E3k/WWkoKBqKg6I/AAAAAAAAMbE/6_8gWeJIu1cbg5xZMHm9RWjSmNL0a3znACK4BGAYYCw/s400/Weres%2BWanna%2BKnow.png" width="400" /><br /><br />This is a feature for us to push our favorite reads that just aren't getting enough attention!<br /><br />We're also opening it up to anyone who would like to guest post. Do you have a book that you just LURVED but feel like it's not getting the play it deserves? Email us to let us know and we'd be THRILLED to have you post about it here! Especially if its something we haven't reviewed yet - that's even better (but not necessary)!<br /><br />If you're interested email Goldilox3weres@gmail.com<br /><br /><img src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8O1J4d8A79A/VkIyjMiuAuI/AAAAAAAABKw/1yfziDgnzqY/s320/25187640.jpg" /><br /><br /><b>Read This F@!%ing Book:</b><br /><b>Truthwitch by Susan Dennard</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;">I feel like I've been hearing a lot about <i>Truthwitch</i>, so maybe it doesn't really qualify as a book I want more people to know about. But then I realized that I'm only hearing it from YA bloggers. If you don't read YA or follow YA blogs, you might have missed it. And even if you're not a big fan of YA, you'll want to read this book.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">From the very beginning I was fascinated with <i>Truthwitch</i>. I was reading along, just thinking, "this is so awesome!" It took me a while to figure out how to translate that into an argument for why you should read this book. Would you just trust me and read it because it's awesome? No?</div><br /><b>Really Cool Magic</b><br /><div style="text-align: left;">The first thing that really struck me is the magic system. Safiya is a Truthwitch. It's a very rare magic, and one that was thought to be extinct. She keeps her skills hidden to protect herself from those who would use her or kill her to keep others from doing so. What I thought was interesting about her skill, and a little bit different from other versions of it that I've read, is that she not only senses when people are lying, but she also senses illusions and abominations.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Iseult is a Threadwitch. Hers is the magic that kind of blew my mind. I haven't seen anything like it before. It's similar to the way some authors use auras - she sees colors that reflect people's emotions. But it's also much more complex. She sees threads, connections between people. Iseult and Safiya, for example, are Threadsisters - we would probably call them BFFs - and a Threadwitch can see their bond and use it to find them. This reminded me of Nalini Singh's Psy-net, except that Iseult sees it all the time and it has more applications.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Prince Merik is an Airwitch and he can fly! He also uses air magic to control his ship, but that's not as much fun. Those are just the three main characters. They're not the only ones with interesting magic, but I wouldn't want to spoil anyone.</div>&nbsp; <br /><b>Girl Power&nbsp;</b><br /><div style="text-align: left;">In addition to Iseult and Safiya, who demonstrate some serious fighting skills right from the beginning of the book, <i>Truthwitch</i> is full of powerful women. At first glance their country seems to be run by men, but the women are strong subversive forces.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">Once they're out in the world, they find female leaders everywhere. There's a monk with healing powers and ties to both Merik and Iseult. There's Iseult's mother, also a Threadwitch, and her apprentice who are stronger than they seem and full of surprizes. There's a queen with another kind of really cool magic. Again, it would probably be spoilery to list them all.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">As much as love the girl power statement, the point is not that Safiya and Iseult must overthrow the tyranny of men, but that there are heroes of both genders in this world. There are also villains of both genders, and some characters in between. (I have some thoughts about race in Truthwitch as well - Iseult is vilified for being too pale - but I haven't dug into it much. I'd like to see more of the world and find other examples first.)*</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;">I think that YA is the place to look for diversity right now. I'm seeing lots of young authors with fresh perspectives on the traditionally white male-dominated fantasy genre. I'm sure that eventually it will spill over into adult fantasy as well. (Those YA readers have to grow up, right?) But for now if you're looking for a new take on the old tropes, look to YA. And start with <i>Trutchwitch</i>. Trust me. It's awesome.<br /><br />*Update: Susan Dennard recently posted about the race issue in <i>Truthwitch, </i>saying it was unintentional. She has an explanation in mind for why Iseult's people are hated, it just hasn't appeared in the books yet. She also has an explanation for their pale skin, which they haven't always had. See the full details in her Instagram story highlights.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h2><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Have you read this book?<br />&nbsp;Did we persuade you to add it to your TBR mountain?<br />&nbsp;Let us know in the comments below!</span></h2></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/rA_yxRRkx1Q" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/throwback-thursday-read-this-fing-book.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-12281105931573943152018-02-07T00:30:00.002-05:002018-02-07T00:30:17.759-05:0010 Books That Made Me Into the Reader I Am Today<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtpmIUyR_Xs/WkrG4_p4dNI/AAAAAAAAmvc/DbhHIddPqjwSuVP_rJjhFdqVGNTJqE1swCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I recently read a <a href="https://gailcarriger.com/2018/01/26/this-is-why-i-write-10-books-that-inspired-formed-gails-identity-as-an-author-miss-carriger-recommends/">blog post by Gail Carriger</a> where she discussed the books that have impacted her the most and made her into the author she is today. Her post got me thinking about the books that made me the reader I am today. Like everyone who reads this blog, I have those childhood favorites that cemented my love for reading but I also got to thinking about other books I've read that have also significantly impacted as a reader. As readers, we can all agree that our reading tastes have evolved and changed throughout our lives. There have been books that have introduced me to specific genres or the books that reignited my interest in genres I got burnt out on. Those are the books I want to talk about today.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3dR9ewjYl3w/Vf91iWnaf9I/AAAAAAAAKp0/F3-MPfQD8g40gkoQy8_TNCdjY89Cw6SRQCPcBGAYYCw/s200/407813.jpg" width="118" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I can't talk about this subject without mentioning <i>The Blue Sword</i> by Robin McKinley. This book was THE book that got me into fantasy. It was everything 8 year old Rose Red ever wanted. It had magic, swords, beautiful horses, and a badass female heroine. I fell head over heels in love and I had an immediate need to read all the fantasy books I could get my hands on. This book opened up whole new worlds for me and I haven't looked back since.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="290" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iDJ4tv9jzbM/Wnoz3OkTR1I/AAAAAAAAnB0/UcVPCMKTHOwwydvy5jLZ9cvY4iK2otaSwCLcBGAs/s200/375802.jpg" width="121" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>Ender's Game</i> was my introduction to the world of science fiction and one of the books I vividly remember reading under my blanket with a flashlight. I was intrigued by the notion of a military school in space and I couldn't put it down once I had started. I was blown away by the concept of space travel and I wanted more as soon as I finished. I'm so thankful my middle school librarian who handed this to me to read and was ready with a bunch of recommendations for me as soon as I brought the book back.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QQ35Lp9RZhE/WNqS_FRkSOI/AAAAAAAAMIw/ulUg5bqR3ngMyBXXgV2IKg1EYwP4JD7JgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/3.jpeg" width="133" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've loved reading ever since I sat down and read my first picture book but the <i>Harry Potter</i> series was the first book that introduced me to the book community. I grew up with Harry. I was almost twelve when I picked the first book up. And I hadn't realized up until then that I could talk about the books I'd read with people other than my family and my local librarians. I loved everything about the experience! I went to midnight release parties and discussed with others in line my theories about what was going to happen in the next book. I found people to discuss the books with in my school as soon as we'd finished them. It was also the series that introduced me to fandom and fanfiction. This series will forever hold a special place in my heart.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="972" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-O09d91KtYgs/U93JY17dO0I/AAAAAAAAJ40/AHP2TMX8TNQOfryEkkftby0DPjDfBiMGwCPcBGAYYCw/s200/hounded.jpg" width="121" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">You all know how much I adore the urban fantasy genre. The thing is I'm fairly new to it considering how long people have been writing books in it. I was briefly introduced to the genre in Robin McKinley's <i>Sunshine</i> but it wasn't until I picked up <i>Hounded</i> by Kevin Hearne on a whim that I really became obsessed with reading every UF book I could get my hands on. I started the series right before book five came out and I binged the first four in less than two days. I was hooked. I immediately went to the "Customers Who Bought This Also Bought" section of Amazon and browsed for similar books. I ended up picking up the first <i>Mercy Thompson</i> and <i>Kate Daniels</i> books. I'm so glad I did. Urban fantasy is one genre I've never grown bored with.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zQFxnAW4IFM/VtqsHkAk-xI/AAAAAAAALPY/lNcYTU1_dB0F5CaH3NksrxXQ9MYuRuR0wCPcBGAYYCw/s200/17675462.jpg" width="131" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">A few years ago I was convinced I had read everything that YA had to offer. I was so sick of love triangles and it seemed that almost every YA book I had picked up was the same as the one I had just finished reading. I ended up giving up on the whole age group as a whole and read mostly adult books for a few years. <i>The Raven Boys</i> is the book that reignited my interest in YA as a whole. It convinced me that there were lots of YA books that I would love. I just needed to find them. I still DNF quite a few but I have discovered lots of YA books in the last two years that have become all-time favorites. But most importantly, I'm excited for upcoming YA books again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LKCStYZ64j0/VtqpxSuqWCI/AAAAAAAALPE/gJlQB3mGLLAKIaKLRi1ZWj_ekAn1PiPfACPcBGAYYCw/s200/7278720.jpg" width="132" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Around the time I read <i>The Blue Sword</i>, I found a book about a cross-dressing thief called <i>Mairelon the Magician</i>. I instantly fell in love with the scrappy street thief, Kim, and the eccentric street magician, Mairelon, and their adventures. This book was the first book I ever bought for myself and it was the book that introduced me to both the fantasy of manners genre and the concept of alternate history. I quickly fell in love with the idea of a Regency novel with magic. Fantasy of manners is still one of my go to favorite genre.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-zKfHlBRRLx8/VCeAltFTNPI/AAAAAAAAJ_M/7yRxN0nikkMtXCQfuo_qeKuz8R7Wk9sCgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/poison.jpg" width="128" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">During my high school years, I read so many epic and high fantasy novels that I burnt myself out on them. I couldn't stand to look at them and I had devoted myself to reading all the romantic suspense and <i>Dirk Pitt</i>-esque adventure novels I could get my hands on. I was a junior in college when my librarian recommended <i>Poison Study</i> to me. I devoured it in one sitting and went back the same day to check out the next two books. I loved it! It got me back into fantasy while introducing me to the fantasy romance genre as a whole. It's still my go-to fantasy romance rec to give out.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-mV9j7zBFQm8/WnpIkMXgebI/AAAAAAAAnCE/pn7pvc44NRgS9nOoOg4Fj-A_Vj1OqTW8ACLcBGAs/s200/44170.jpg" width="133" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">My introduction to the steampunk genre was very unconventional compared to other readers of the genre. My first steampunk book was <i>The Looking Glass Wars</i> by Frank Beddor. I hadn't even known that steampunk was a thing before I read it. This quirky <i>Alice in Wonderland</i> retelling is what lead me to more mainstream steampunk like Gail Carriger's books but it will always have a special place on my bookshelf for introducing me to one of my favorite genres.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-hHgAvLszz2Y/WnpJuUeMBfI/AAAAAAAAnCQ/uG0uDQ-z3FAMyGpiLOFzcf_tbmSImB2HgCLcBGAs/s200/24337.jpg" width="131" /> <img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k8Swt1J0Y20/WnpJueo23iI/AAAAAAAAnCU/k2HNkxwCCQEvvc2kg0PBVRXdILk3z_nhQCLcBGAs/s200/41424.jpg" width="131" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm going to cheat and use two books on this one because I honestly can't remember which one I read first as a kid. I have been obsessed with fairy tales since I was a wee lass listening to stories at my grandpa's knee. Imagine my delight when I picked up Ella Enchanted and Beauty and discovered the fairy tale retellings were a thing. It lead quickly into an obsession where I read every fairy tale retelling I could get my hands on. I love the retelling subgenre SO much! It just encompasses so many of my favorite things. Even all these years later, when given a choice, I will pick up the fairy tale retelling 7 out of 10 times. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sqTUD8b7A0U/WnpLXrWMeDI/AAAAAAAAnCk/w63k9ZKOiTAi4i24-Vgz779Ov2GES9mPQCLcBGAs/s200/28962906.jpg" width="131" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As a teen, I discovered this magical series of historical fiction companion novels and it was everything my little history loving heart never knew it needed. I devoured every Sunfire Romance novel my library owned. I loved them! I loved the historical settings and I even loved the fact that each heroine had to choose between two guys. Yes. I have evidence that I haven't always hated love triangles. After I finished that series, I had a hard time finding historical fiction that kept my attention without having magic or paranormal elements in the mix. It was years before I found one that reignited my love for the genre. That book was <i>Stalking Jack the Ripper</i> by Kerri Maniscalco. I LOVED THIS BOOK SO MUCH! It was everything I remembered loving about the historical fiction genre and I am always here for flirty heroes and witty banter. I've found several historical fiction novels since I read this one that have become favorites and I can't thank Kerri Maniscalco enough for helping to remember why I love this genre.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What books helped you become the reader you are today?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>&nbsp;</b></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/JFqwAV7eUgQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/10-books-that-made-me-into-reader-i-am.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-31424167218167617902018-02-05T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-05T08:45:53.843-05:00Really Short Reviews: Legends of the Storm Series by Bec McMaster<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>I originally read&nbsp;book 1&nbsp;of the Legends of the Storm series as part of an anthology last summer. I had missed its release in December as a single title until I got the ARC for Book 2. So I'm including my review for&nbsp;<i>Heart of Fire</i>, previously published on Goodreads, in case anyone else missed it too.<br /><b><br /></b><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1508395721l/36096783.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="36096783" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1508395721l/36096783.jpg" width="200" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b><b>Heart of Fire</b></b><br />(Legends of the Storm #1)<br />Bec McMaster<br />Release: December 14, 2017<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36096783-heart-of-fire">Goodreads</a>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1925491161/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1925491161&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><i>ARC provided by the author</i><br /><blockquote><b>The old eddas speak of dreki—fabled creatures who haunt the depths of Iceland's volcanoes, and steal away fair maidens.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Freyja wants none of such myths. Dreki seducing young ladies? Ha. They probably eat such foolish girls. But when the local dreki steals her last ram—costing her any chance of feeding her ill father through the winter—Freyja intends to confront the fearsome myth.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Sentenced to a life of exile from his clan, Rurik is fascinated by the furious woman who comes to claim her ram. She reeks of mysterious magic and challenges him at every step. He intends to claim the passionate firebrand, but to do so, he must take mortal form.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>It's the only time the dreki are vulnerable, and with a dragon-hunter arriving on the shores of Iceland, he can barely afford the risk—but lonely Freyja, with her elf-cursed eyes and pragmatic soul, tempts him in ways he's never felt before. Is she the key to reclaiming his heritage? Or will she be his downfall?</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><b><br /></b>For such a short book <i>Heart of Fire</i> took me a long time to read. It was just before the halfway mark that I really got into the story and it started to move.<br /><br />Freyja lives in a small village in Iceland and has always been ostracized because of her mismatched eyes and her magic. I thought her powers were great but she's asked repeatedly throughout the story, "What are you?" and even at the end I felt like the answer was tentative.<br /><br />Rurik is a dreki (dragon) prince in exile living alone in his volcano lair until an encounter with Freyja inspires him to rejoin the world. That brings a dragon hunter and a homicidal cousin into his life as well. I thought his history and the Court politics were quite interesting and I look forward to seeing how that plays out when the Legends of the Storm series continues next year.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;1/2</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>3.5 stars</b></div><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516687415l/36711249.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="36711249" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516687415l/36711249.jpg" width="200" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b>Storm of Desire</b><br />(Legends of the Storm #2)<br />Bec McMaster<br />Release: January 23, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36711249-storm-of-desire">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Storm-Desire-Shifter-Romance-Legends-ebook/dp/B079572CM3/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1516741918&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=Storm+of+Desire">Amazon</a><br /><i>ARC provided by the author</i><br /><blockquote><b>The old eddas speak of dreki—fabled creatures that haunt the depths of Iceland's volcanoes and steal away fair maidens.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Haakon wants none of such myths. For years he's searched for the beast that stole his wife, desperate to slay the golden dreki and rescue his precious Árja. He has sacrificed everything to find her—including his honor—but now Haakon knows the truth. His entire marriage was a lie. The woman he knew as his wife was no victim, but the dreki herself. And when he finally tracks down the deceitful princess, there will be a reckoning of passion and glory....</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>She came to him on a storm...</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Long ago, Árdís gave her heart to a mortal man, despite knowing it could only end in tragedy. When her clan summoned her home, she had no choice but to leave—or see her husband pitted against her vicious cousin, Sirius.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>When Sirius insists upon a betrothal that will help him gain the dreki throne, she is forced to flee—straight into the arms of the now-ruthless dragon hunter she once called husband. But can Haakon ever forgive her deceit? And can she save him from a spurned dreki prince who would see them both dead?</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><b><br /></b><br />Like book one in the series, <i>Storm of Desire</i> was a slow starter for me. I think that because historicals are not normally my thing, it takes me longer to immerse myself in the world. But I once I got going, I was hooked. And I was interested in the premise right from the start - it’s a second chance romance with dragons! How great is that?<br /><br />And it’s a romance full of so much tension. Haakon and Ardis go from enemies to allies to ... well, you’ll have to see for yourself, all while reminiscing about their past. And then they go on a journey. I’m such a sucker for a road trip story! I might have liked to see more of the human supporting cast, though. I love cousin Tormund!<br /><br /><br />I was also happy to see more court politics and meet some of the other <i>dreki</i>, as well as learn more about their magic. And I of course, I was excited to see Prince Rurik from book one again and learn a little more of the story behind his exile. I’m looking forward to seeing how their rebellion progresses in the next book.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">4&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;stars</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><br /><br /><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/my4CzQehN7M" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/really-short-reviews-legends-of-storm.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-18417334679268385372018-02-02T00:30:00.000-05:002018-02-02T00:30:20.533-05:00We Love Lists: Books We Love to Reread<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtpmIUyR_Xs/WkrG4_p4dNI/AAAAAAAAmvc/DbhHIddPqjwSuVP_rJjhFdqVGNTJqE1swCPcBGAYYCw/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Happy Groundhog Day! While we're waiting for Phil to tell us whether we're going to have six more weeks of winter or not, we thought it would be fun to make a list to celebrate the holiday. (And Rose Red wanted an excuse to use Groundhog Day gifs.)</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="340" data-original-width="596" height="182" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8UfYI3w5GS0/Wm_XTCK5qxI/AAAAAAAAnAw/aT9oFMxEWbwWBgQs_NN6NFp4wB-oMqLwQCLcBGAs/s320/GtVIzx.gif" width="320" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">So we took inspiration from Bill Murray and we're going to share the books/series that we love to read again and again.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="295" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-lIt5cWxfn6w/VSG-8owH_AI/AAAAAAAAKOQ/CyunNa6gItMc78UHj_rJ2zlvR6zJw_qugCPcBGAYYCw/s200/71811.jpg" width="123" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Mercy Thompson/Alpha &amp; Omega Series by Patricia Briggs</b><br />When the Alpha and Omega series debuted a few years ago, the timeline was a few books behind Mercy's series. They've synched up since then, so it's interesting to reread them both together in chronological order.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="450" data-original-width="276" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dSRHfMyFYaI/VYb3gQUVJKI/AAAAAAAAKaI/Tmtd4ixjRIEPyqXvC8W2WNaByKnMe1XHACPcBGAYYCw/s200/25578803.jpg" width="122" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Psy-Changeling Series by Nalini Singh</b><br />I only recently discovered Nalini Singh but anytime I pick up a<i> Psy-Changeling</i> book it's like coming home. I'm so in love with this world and its diverse cast of characters that I can honestly say that I don't think I'll ever be tired of it. I've reread the series nine times in three years and I think I fall even more in love with it each time.<b><br /></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="305" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-eEfN0dAm-U8/WnD3645RpbI/AAAAAAAAnBQ/PuN5SWmf0-88usXAUJPxFRzQnqhpogQkgCLcBGAs/s200/36342017.jpg" width="128" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Vicious by V. E. Schwab </b></div><div style="text-align: center;">You all know that I've been a Schwab fangirl since the beginning of her career. So while I've loved all of her books, <i>Vicious</i> is hands down my favorite and most reread. It is a story about science bros turned enemies, superpowers, and it's ultimately a case study on how said power can affect people in different ways. This book is a master class on how a non-linear narrative can be driven by questions. My adoration for this book just increases with each reread and I can't wait to get the continuation of the story in <i>Vengeful</i>.<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="294" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-LphQ9MeL7cU/VL81APWYgfI/AAAAAAAAKEc/4aCwskC4yekQQi9kYVntL2KBSP9ZU7rXACPcBGAYYCw/s200/magicbites.jpg" width="123" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Kate Daniels Series by Ilona Andrews</b><br />2017 was the first year I didn't reread the entire <i>Kate Daniels</i> series after the new book came out. (I did read the two latest ones back to back though.) Maybe I'll make up for it with a binge this summer before the series finale.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="1421990" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1373855613l/1421990.jpg" width="120" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Night Huntress Series by Jeanniene Frost</b><br />A few years ago, I championed Bones for Alpha Showdown. I went to look something up in book two and wound up rereading the whole series. It's seriously addictive!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="284" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1g48c1-s3rU/VlCzCi4FEmI/AAAAAAAAK2I/-PpOkG6FYDYBeZiCjHtfR-P79egQU7cTwCPcBGAYYCw/s200/3819326.jpg" width="119" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Guild Hunter Series by Nalini Singh</b><br />Why, yes! We love Nalini Singh's books so much that we had to include both series on this list. The <i>Guild Hunter</i> series is full of dangerous angels, sexy vampires, hot romance, witty banter, and lots of political intrigue and action. The characters and this world are everything we love about Nalini Singh's writing and we can't get enough of it!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="301082" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1468560853l/301082.jpg" width="124" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris</b><br />The first 5 or so books of this series are probably my most reread of all time. I used to binge after each new season of True Blood.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5Ag2PP_ZOo/VrJg_HHYnwI/AAAAAAAALKk/3Dpb4Hbs-FQ_UJLV1IqvTLtF7bhNM4TjwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/407813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i5Ag2PP_ZOo/VrJg_HHYnwI/AAAAAAAALKk/3Dpb4Hbs-FQ_UJLV1IqvTLtF7bhNM4TjwCPcBGAYYCw/s200/407813.jpg" width="118" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i>The Blue Sword</i> is without a doubt my most reread book of all time. I've reread it at least once a year for the past 23 years. Adult Rose Red is just as much in love with this story of an unconventional heroine with a self-aware magical sword and a pretty horse as Kid Rose Red and Teen Rose Red were. I need more heroines like Harry Crewe in my life!<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-On4ulNyaOrQ/WYkWdXDuE2I/AAAAAAAAMe4/lCLeW5u4euspOkKEIOTSH8H_wqBwH6YtQCPcBGAYYCw/s200/35080593.jpg" width="132" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Whyborne &amp; Griffin Series by Jordan L. Hawk</b><br />I know I just discovered this series this past year but I've already reread it twice. I love it so much! It's one of my favorite m/m romances of all time! The main couple have their problems but they're supportive and loving of each other and we need more of that in queer romances. Plus, Christine maybe one of my favorite side characters of all time!<br /><br /><img alt="15711341" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1411439502l/15711341.jpg" width="132" /><br /><b>The Others series by Anne Bishop</b><br />This series is truly unique in the urban fantasy world. The world is also incredibly complex so you can discover something new every time you read.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="269" data-original-width="500" height="172" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-r59WZlusOdQ/Wm_2PMJDz_I/AAAAAAAAnBA/abrsVDesKpYjHbcTd5mItNCwvTKy_1EZQCLcBGAs/s320/giphy.gif" width="320" /></div><b><br /></b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What books do you love rereading over and over again?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LWGqOk-zGE0/VEhtB8iBk3I/AAAAAAAAKA0/i58A_sJjwXo8p6FDlsLdRabftH87gTlqACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BGretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LWGqOk-zGE0/VEhtB8iBk3I/AAAAAAAAKA0/i58A_sJjwXo8p6FDlsLdRabftH87gTlqACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BGretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/uzcM31cHS_I" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/we-love-lists-books-we-love-to-reread.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-2864567864442822562018-02-01T00:00:00.000-05:002018-02-01T00:00:28.871-05:00Month in Review: January 2018<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-H2pnKUOIN4k/VqVJJmlaZ7I/AAAAAAAALEs/_BCjeeUTu0ogSgy2DTxAWugdMMnbMlqjQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Month%2Bin%2BReview%2Bdarker.jpg" /></div><div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We've made it through the first month of 2018. I'm only slightly less motivated than I was at the beginning of year. How about you?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Here's what we were up to in January:</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8if0G_SBmFM/WmlDWY55NFI/AAAAAAAAm-A/7O4qeBtPhBkm3rVTefF1Rg-q87vmznDmgCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot.jpg" width="320" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;Check out our January Book Hauls!</div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Gretl</b></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBSrZv-kNqY/WnDKE6zux4I/AAAAAAAACZg/RkuX48jsUaAbepiMQeFPCnXjvexOxnTLQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_3068.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1375" data-original-width="1600" height="275" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-tBSrZv-kNqY/WnDKE6zux4I/AAAAAAAACZg/RkuX48jsUaAbepiMQeFPCnXjvexOxnTLQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_3068.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><br /></b></span></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Rose Red</b></span><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1600" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-P19OP0D1h5c/WnJRBjC0SsI/AAAAAAAAnBg/Bu81jtmt2M4HtwGW24KmL2CdYedJy4tBgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_0599.JPG" width="320" /></div><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>&nbsp;</b><span style="color: black;">*Not pictured are my copy of Astra Lost in Space, Vol. 1 I lent out and my pre-order of The Hazel Wood by Melissa Albert that hasn't arrived yet.</span></span></div></div><div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7zBa_aed7S8/WmlDVYr-egI/AAAAAAAAm9o/g07gVABe2TMFJy1aq5ZuaV6jle3D0EpwQCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25281%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Gretl</b></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>ARCs</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Lions and Tigers and Boys" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1513102177l/34517409.jpg" width="134" /><img alt="Don't Rush Me (Nora Jacobs Book One)" src="https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1515547210i/37888434._UY200_.jpg" /><img alt="Zero Hour (Wired &amp; Dangerous, #1)" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497052176l/35099666.jpg" width="123" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Blood Veil: A Mission Novel" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1516258934l/35195486.jpg" width="132" /><img src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRkfr08JGQ/WjsgbAc17CI/AAAAAAAAmik/x4wsvCJhNQ4oJ60MT2ecUyniULe4edSXACPcBGAYYCw/s200/36672379.jpg" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beat the Backlist Challenge</b></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="Bad for the Boss: A BWAM Office Romance (Just For Him Book 1)" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1509230344l/36493723.jpg" width="133" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b>Rose Red</b></span></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>ARCs</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="453" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eRL5aRYiHLI/Wmkn6TgG8nI/AAAAAAAAm5Q/oseZQW4TZykI8HENQAytpBWt1NPqieptwCLcBGAs/s200/35606581.jpg" width="140" /><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRkfr08JGQ/WjsgbAc17CI/AAAAAAAAmik/x4wsvCJhNQ4oJ60MT2ecUyniULe4edSXACPcBGAYYCw/s200/36672379.jpg" width="133" /></b></span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JHOlRfGkR0E/WmFx5xuQiHI/AAAAAAAAm5A/w3dt6f3FHJoflqfV1YfwVjg2mXBYlI-_QCPcBGAYYCw/s200/35658073.jpg" width="133" /> </b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Manga/Graphic Novels/Comics</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="282" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QOKakE6xIm4/WmkpG4DElKI/AAAAAAAAm5g/EfFWTZILWcc-hYNNneLsuQDeRhFHl54dgCLcBGAs/s200/36064768.jpg" width="118" /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="451" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7JsrNlpCts/WmkovFBFQEI/AAAAAAAAm5Y/ftv3FSZm-BAdTvmKe__xsmo65kYNT_SiQCEwYBhgL/s200/33163388.jpg" width="140" /></b></span></b></span><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><b><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FJLQSCPqnAg/WmkovXrAYCI/AAAAAAAAm5c/P4gNUX7h6XcWaNgyYX1B28d6CHPCP-VTACEwYBhgL/s200/32497911.jpg" width="133" /></b></span></b></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Beat the Backlist Challenge</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N30gnepje4w/WmFx55Q5T_I/AAAAAAAAm5A/xVjNBWkm8WwEfq5Sudv35OTQQxdEl7cfgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/34852838.jpg" width="133" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Rereads/Non-Challenge Books</b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="306" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-JvxNOb6UQq0/Vu79LAVCytI/AAAAAAAALQM/ePKpUcGkGiE1U4J4AyJ0VAKbBksZeQYxQCPcBGAYYCw/s200/25810368.jpg" width="128" /><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Kw_jBn9bB5E/Wmkp_MaWIDI/AAAAAAAAm54/rOMlaUk-JoU0KmoONsWEE9Yhm2Gekzz_wCLcBGAs/s200/37413230.jpg" width="121" /><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="316" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hXNyy5ZHpRs/Wmkp_N6e5OI/AAAAAAAAm50/rHa9zEWK5v4MyyYI8Sdsaq8VFNCdVE-ygCLcBGAs/s200/36692351.jpg" width="132" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-L0kkWGzLJgk/WmlDVZiubVI/AAAAAAAAm9s/g75FRrarqSMUgOzffPAOpYaE87afRVbCwCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="33607186" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1493929730l/33607186.jpg" width="121" /><img alt="36442122" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510766090l/36442122.jpg" width="138" /><img alt="34964897" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496780167l/34964897.jpg" width="123" /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="37888434" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515547210l/37888434.jpg" width="125" /><img height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N30gnepje4w/WmFx55Q5T_I/AAAAAAAAm48/_qsya5KYSRIVEZEOlM3bLPKPxf-lFvgWACLcBGAs/s200/34852838.jpg" width="133" /><img height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JHOlRfGkR0E/WmFx5xuQiHI/AAAAAAAAm44/VmAuLsDRI8Yl8NkBqE2KhpMToZUYiMcowCEwYBhgL/s200/35658073.jpg" width="133" /></div></div><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRkfr08JGQ/WjsgbAc17CI/AAAAAAAAmik/x4wsvCJhNQ4oJ60MT2ecUyniULe4edSXACPcBGAYYCw/s200/36672379.jpg" width="133" /><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="293" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-9jmvtORGDGY/Wm6hpieXklI/AAAAAAAAnAE/OkZuZmXK5eklLVLQdfcWft46NVEa_aVIgCEwYBhgL/s200/35099666.jpg" width="123" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/review-heart-on-fire-by-amanda-bouchet.html">Heart on Fire</a> (Kingmaker Chronicles #3) by Amanda Bouchet</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/really-short-reviews-alphaville-series.html">Something to Howl About</a> (Alphaville #.5) by Christine Warren</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/really-short-reviews-alphaville-series.html">Baby, I'm Howling For You</a> (Alphaville #1) by Christine Warren</div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/early-review-dont-rush-me-by-jackie-may.html">Don't Rush Me</a> (Nora Jacobs #1) by Jackie May</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/manga-reviews-astra-lost-in-space-vols.html">Astra Lost in Space, Vols 1 and 2</a> by Kenta Shinohara</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/review-emerald-lily-by-juliette-cross.html">The Emerald Lily</a> (Vampire Blood #4) by Juliette Cross</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/release-day-review-zero-hour-by-megan.html">Zero Hour</a> (Wired and Dangerous #1) by Megan Erickson</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ldYu6iKQaDY/WmlDVp80rSI/AAAAAAAAm9w/u55SxxzUEZIMlzAV1sJi0CaWUWEtYi8dgCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25283%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>We Love Lists</b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/top-5-wednesday-favorite-top-5.html">Favorite Top 5 Wednesday Posts of 2017</a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/we-love-lists-book-titles-that-gave-me.html">5 Book Titles That Gave Me Earworms</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/kindle-books-i-forgot-i-bought-vol-1.html">Kindle Books I Forgot I Bought, Vol. 1</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/we-love-lists-top-5-bookstagram-pet.html">Top 5 Bookstagram Pet Peeves</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Weres Wanna Know</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/weres-wanna-know-how-do-you-organize.html">&nbsp;How Do You Organize Your TBR</a>?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XEjzaJ1VCcg/WmlDV1_aZEI/AAAAAAAAm90/EA9lKGJco2goGFs5MrkYM3qF6dc-s94nQCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25284%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Rose Red's Beginner's Guide to Anime:</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part.html">Part 1</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part_18.html">Part 2</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part_24.html">Part 3</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w6MPl2wqfl8/WmlDV_v5nYI/AAAAAAAAm94/65_w4bPE_vUEyxq7En6rLFS_tsk51SbWwCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25285%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/december-subscription-box-review.html">December Subscription Box Reviews</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-results-are-in-survey-says.html">Follower Feedback Survey Results</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>2017 Wrap Up</b></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/year-in-review-2017.html">Year in Review</a></div></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/2017-reading-challenge-recap-and-2018.html">2017 Challenge Wrap Up</a></div></div><div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">If you missed any of Best of 2017 posts, you can find them <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/search/label/Goldilox%20and%20the%20Top%20Ten%20Lists%202017">here</a>.</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="728" height="39" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bhrzymIu1iI/WmlDWL5JYeI/AAAAAAAAm-M/w49yPZSIVPAZDC-R6N05bh0i2Xozmh7xgCEwYBhgL/s320/What%2BWe%2BGot%25286%2529.jpg" width="320" /></div><br /></div><div><div style="text-align: center;">Our most anticipated February releases:</div></div><div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Feb 6</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23197837-the-belles?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23197837-the-belles?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lope_vtlnR8/WmkulJHB47I/AAAAAAAAm60/Vy73MGNMNhkagQrVOKA2L3wS0IBwKfBbACEwYBhgL/s200/23197837.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34921588-by-a-charm-and-a-curse?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34921588-by-a-charm-and-a-curse?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rvO_Ns-ygQI/Wmkx5WKEE-I/AAAAAAAAm7A/DSXNKGrxtQwtz6aAqlD_8eWc0iwHMAqQgCLcBGAs/s200/34921588.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35023954-that-killer-smile?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35023954-that-killer-smile?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="288" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TgddRmMN2h0/Wmkx5Q8lnsI/AAAAAAAAm7E/QkZEG-fWmIMlgyfHLZJDUj0nLNrt7ivYgCLcBGAs/s200/35023954.jpg" width="121" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35024099-the-last-wolf?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35024099-the-last-wolf?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="289" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-q3XlggHbcqU/Wmkx6PiV2oI/AAAAAAAAm7I/lHadXxMr31EgqqdkSNI0FBdljVq4c41vwCLcBGAs/s200/35024099.jpg" width="121" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297380-american-panda"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35297380-american-panda" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gKprNpGYmPw/Wm6jKbU6o2I/AAAAAAAAnAg/w6Co4fKvwhAiQobWRJq3lryhgHPHV71BQCLcBGAs/s200/35297380.jpg" width="131" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><br />Feb 13</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35481848-sightwitch?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35481848-sightwitch?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="313" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-k_eDQnUamn4/WjsLGwuTlAI/AAAAAAAAmhg/RqpafxIT8MI55IT_BkGIASYnI8zCUsUsgCPcBGAYYCw/s200/35481848.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30129657-honor-among-thieves?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30129657-honor-among-thieves?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-pCptRvEMSQ0/WjsLEXHwakI/AAAAAAAAmhg/PRhbm3WRBoIQMUcFK776C6ptm9xkbpE8ACPcBGAYYCw/s200/30129657.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37916873-high-lonesome-sound?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/37916873-high-lonesome-sound?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-J171YPKh8Ak/WmkzNZgCWgI/AAAAAAAAm7c/AFAwxiMKZWcnK7uxdZwLdsYWMF1F1yGXwCLcBGAs/s200/37916873.jpg" width="133" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Feb 27</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35181314-heart-of-iron?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35181314-heart-of-iron?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OovGARivHzo/WjsD5vgyTrI/AAAAAAAAmgU/ezHGPzNWsogsiisEi7HzqY2z-ZcoMw9ogCPcBGAYYCw/s200/35181314.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36682619-daughter-of-the-siren-queen?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36682619-daughter-of-the-siren-queen?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="314" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-XTnnHFi7zmE/WjsLH8cu1zI/AAAAAAAAmhg/MLAfkthQEDcZeCb2pknSu2VWHFROV6oYwCPcBGAYYCw/s200/36682619.jpg" width="131" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/_b_WAD0m-1Y" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/02/month-in-review-january-2018.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-34821734469500094002018-01-31T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-31T00:00:04.089-05:00We Love Lists: Top 5 Bookstagram Pet Peeves<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hsgo0PDxA3M/WmDoFBQwA9I/AAAAAAAACZA/UqNf3-4InYUDgm3OtW6N84El5Tj4ACvvACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Hsgo0PDxA3M/WmDoFBQwA9I/AAAAAAAACZA/UqNf3-4InYUDgm3OtW6N84El5Tj4ACvvACLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We're probably all annoyed with Instagram right now. It really shouldn't be that hard to show you the posts from all the accounts you follow in the order they were posted. And I read last week that they changed the algorithm again and it will kill your posts if you use too many hashtags or don't reply to comments fast enough. But today I want to talk about things that users do that drive me crazy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6OHs5rUOJWY/WnEJTOtqN9I/AAAAAAAACak/udZNVerqYbc6thP7KmO_suEy4wtOwzOEACEwYBhgL/s1600/giphy%2B%25283%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="140" data-original-width="249" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-6OHs5rUOJWY/WnEJTOtqN9I/AAAAAAAACak/udZNVerqYbc6thP7KmO_suEy4wtOwzOEACEwYBhgL/s1600/giphy%2B%25283%2529.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here are my Top 5 Bookstagram Pet Peeves</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>5. Blind follow backs</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">1k followers and 0 posts? This has to be from people auto following back. Also random accounts that follow me assuming I will follow back. I don’t. I only follow back if I like your feed. I do try to follow back book bloggers but maybe leave a comment and introduce yourself?<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtDV40h8Ptc/WnEIpTDJi3I/AAAAAAAACac/h-MiBlCvAm4e_-1W7icj8mvy_HpNt9EkACLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%252810%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="288" data-original-width="500" height="184" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZtDV40h8Ptc/WnEIpTDJi3I/AAAAAAAACac/h-MiBlCvAm4e_-1W7icj8mvy_HpNt9EkACLcBGAs/s320/giphy-downsized%2B%252810%2529.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>4. Follows based on one photo</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is only slightly better than blind follows. I get new followers every time a post a pic of my dogs. A few days later a bunch of them unfollow when I post a book pic. It only takes a second to click on a name and look at their feed or don’t even look at the pics, just read the bio. This one's hard on my self-esteem, guys.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-EGY5zmpmY/WnEIAdjpL2I/AAAAAAAACaQ/4-Gcdlkp5a8h16DCQNcv4MB5JPGR92OVgCLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%25289%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="255" data-original-width="500" height="163" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-q-EGY5zmpmY/WnEIAdjpL2I/AAAAAAAACaQ/4-Gcdlkp5a8h16DCQNcv4MB5JPGR92OVgCLcBGAs/s320/giphy-downsized%2B%25289%2529.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>3. Inappropriate hashtags</b>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: left;">When I search #coverlove all the photos should have covers in them. Why is this a hard concept?<br /><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRd5BKsSpnA/WnEFYG8ZP-I/AAAAAAAACZw/ql6Hjca3zzk3jfuKAbH3lD5OQdyLED3jgCLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%25287%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="300" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-dRd5BKsSpnA/WnEFYG8ZP-I/AAAAAAAACZw/ql6Hjca3zzk3jfuKAbH3lD5OQdyLED3jgCLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%25287%2529.gif" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>2. Ignoring challenge prompts</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">This is probably a big part of why the above happens. People want to post a certain number of times a day or week so they post any photo they want with the photo challenge prompt and tell you what their photo should have been about. It’s called a photo challenge, not a caption challenge! I’m all for combining prompts but combine them in the photo too.<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ8rwplCEtQ/WnEGSWOqpDI/AAAAAAAACZ8/DCqLjHoBAKwGV9ykTOuu2S5kSIAzhFtSACLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%25288%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="189" data-original-width="250" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TJ8rwplCEtQ/WnEGSWOqpDI/AAAAAAAACZ8/DCqLjHoBAKwGV9ykTOuu2S5kSIAzhFtSACLcBGAs/s1600/giphy-downsized%2B%25288%2529.gif" /></a></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>1. Ignoring the captions</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Which brings me to my #1 problem. No one seems to read the captions. What’s the point of doing the last two things if people are only looking at the pictures? Just tag them with what they are so I can find what I’m looking for. Because we all know Instagram won’t show me everyone I follow!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>The reason I know no one’s reading the captions? Mostly because the comments don’t address them. It’s nice to hear people like your photo, but it would also be nice if they answered your questions. My fave is when the post starts out with what do think about x? And someone comments with Awesome! What exactly is awesome? The picture, the feed, the thing in the caption? Aaah!<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSfpv182OU/WnEHgS-HVWI/AAAAAAAACaM/JWYpL1jd5BkhwUyEDT1n47jtHGsMs_FxgCEwYBhgL/s1600/giphy%2B%25282%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-HJSfpv182OU/WnEHgS-HVWI/AAAAAAAACaM/JWYpL1jd5BkhwUyEDT1n47jtHGsMs_FxgCEwYBhgL/s320/giphy%2B%25282%2529.gif" width="320" /></a></div><br /><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What are your Bookstagram pet peeves?</span></h2></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/ePT7zAH0hqQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/we-love-lists-top-5-bookstagram-pet.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-32881527180433054492018-01-30T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-30T00:00:07.701-05:00Release Day Review: Zero Hour by Megan Erickson<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497052176l/35099666.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="35099666" border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1497052176l/35099666.jpg" width="246" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b>Zero Hour</b><br />(Wired &amp; Dangerous #1)<br />Megan Erickson<br />Release: January 30, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35099666-zero-hour">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1538743884/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1538743884&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley</i></div><blockquote><b>Hacker extraordinaire Roarke Brennan lives each hour - each breath - to avenge his brother's murder. His first move: put together a team of the best coders he knows. They're all brilliant, specialized, and every one an epic pain in his ass. Only now Wren Lee wants in too, threatening to upset their delicate balance. The girl Roarke never allowed himself to want is all grown up with sexy confidence and a dark past ... and she's the wild card he can't control.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Roarke might still think she's a kid, but Wren's been to hell and back. Nothing and nobody can stop her - especially the tatted-up, cocky-as-all-hell hacker. But when years of longing and chemistry collide, Wren and Roarke discover that revenge may be a dish best served blazing hot.</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><i><br /></i><i>Zero Hour</i>&nbsp;has all of the action and excitement I love in a romantic suspense series. But it's also a little bit different than most of the ones I've read since the hackers are kind of an ad hoc group, rather than a full time team. They all have some shared history, though much of it's just allusion at this point. I wondered at times if this is a spin off from a previous series that introduced some of the characters.<br /><br />Is "reunited high school crushes" a real romance trope? Even if it's not, I loved Wren and Roarke together. I love that she's just as smart and capable as the guys in the group, even if it took Roarke a little while to realize it. And I loved the fact that the first time he touched her he said, "Is this OK?" (I've been having issues with consent in my PNRs lately. More on that in a future post.)<br /><br />The one thing that bugged me about Wren, which I admit is minor, is her hair. I love lavender hair&nbsp; (I mean, have you seen Amanda Bonilla's Instagram pics?) but there was a lot of buzz last summer about what's wrong with the "hair streaks indicate a rebellious Asian girl" thing (Wren's Korean-American) and I couldn't help thinking about that even though it was her whole head, not actually streaks. Her full sleeve tattoos alone would have conveyed the same thing without a racially-specific cliche. And then there's the fact that she kept wearing red dresses which, while great for her skin tone, would clash with her hair.<br /><br />So TL;DR I love Wren but hate her hair. There's also a big reveal that I saw coming pretty early on, even though the characters were surprised.<br /><br />I loved the ensemble cast, though not much is revealed about most of them yet. I would have liked a little more explanation about how some of these computer nerds learned spy craft, but I hope that some of that will come later. Erickson is definitely setting up a series. She's introduced enough characters to carry three or four books so far, as well as an enemy that will carry over at least in to the next book. And I'm good with all that because I'm so interested in their world. I'll definitely be watching for book two!<br /><br /><b>Recommended for fans of: Black Knights Inc.</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b>4&nbsp;stars</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><b>My reviews of other books by Megan Erickson:</b><br /><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2017/09/release-day-review-blood-guard-by-megan.html">Blood Guard</a><br /><br /><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/O-1BMUwLiJ0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/release-day-review-zero-hour-by-megan.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-43460010573492566322018-01-29T00:30:00.001-05:002018-01-29T00:30:13.749-05:00Review: The Emerald Lily by Juliette Cross<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qDRkfr08JGQ/WjsgbAc17CI/AAAAAAAAmik/x4wsvCJhNQ4oJ60MT2ecUyniULe4edSXACPcBGAYYCw/s320/36672379.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><b>The Emerald Lily</b><br />(Vampire Blood #4)<br />Juliette Cross<br />Release: January 29, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36672379-the-emerald-lily?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Emerald-Lily-Vampire-Blood-ebook/dp/B0786RPJ2Y/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1515224810&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=the+emerald+lily">Amazon</a><br /><blockquote><span id="freeText2481456128772021625">When Princess Vilhelmina Dragomir is awakened from her hellish sleep with a blood kiss from a handsome stranger, she learns that much has changed while she’s been away. The armies of the Black Lily and the vampire Crown have amassed and are on the brink of war.<br /><br />No romantic entanglements, no family. Mikhail Romanov, Captain of the Bloodguard, took a vow when he joined the Bloodguard. But he never planned for the gut-punching attraction he would feel for the untouchable princess. He must keep his focus, though. In order to avenge his family, it’s essential he help Mina claim her crown and keep his damn hands off of her.<br /><br />But Mina sets her heart on the elusive captain, and keeping his focus on the great battle ahead becomes harder and harder. While they're making plans, the evil King Dominik has been making some of his own. This time, he will show no mercy to the Princess…</span></blockquote><br /><b>Review:</b><br />I'm always a bit sad when I pick up the last book in a series. I'm always torn between wanting to know how things wrap up and not wanting it to be over. That's how I felt when I finally picked up my ARC of The Emerald Lily. I've loved this series and it's unique paranormal take on some of my favorite fairy tales.<br /><br />I won't lie. I was super excited for this book after the last one revealed that it was going to be a Sleeping Beauty retelling. While it was not my favorite book in the series, I loved this one! I've wanted to know more about Princess Vi<span id="freeText2481456128772021625">lhelmina since we first were introduced to her in book one but I will admit that finding out more about Mikhail and his enigmatic Blood Guard eclipsed her storyline for me.&nbsp;</span><br /><br /><span id="freeText2481456128772021625">While the romance was a bit predictable with the whole "awaken the princess from a deep sleep with a kiss" thing, but I enjoyed the hell out of Mina and Mikhail's chemistry. They're perfect together and have that kind of angsty push and pull dynamic that's like crack to read. I loved learning these two's backstories and watching them fall for each other. I really enjoyed seeing characters from previous books make an appearance as the climax and final battle approached.</span><br /><span id="freeText2481456128772021625"><br /></span><span id="freeText2481456128772021625">I don't want to say to much about the plot or the fairy tale elements in this story because it would be a bit spoilery if I did. But I will say that there were a few twists that I didn't see coming that made me gasp out loud while reading. In my opinion, this book was a pretty satisfying conclusion to the series. Although, I did think that the final battle was over a bit too quickly but it didn't take away from my enjoyment of the story. That epilogue though was great! :)</span><br /><span id="freeText2481456128772021625"><br /></span><span id="freeText2481456128772021625">I'm sad to see this series end but it was one hell of a ride. I will be recommending it to all of my friends who love paranormal romance and fairy tale retellings. If you haven't picked the series up, now is a good time to grab them all and binge read the whole thing.</span><br /><b> </b><br /><br /><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley.</i><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" width="320" /></a></div><b>&nbsp;</b><b>My reviews of other books in this series:</b><br /><a href="http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2017/05/review-black-lily-by-juliette-cross.html"><i>The Black Lily</i> by Juliette Cross</a><br /><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2017/11/review-red-lily-by-juliette-cross.html"><i>The Red Lily</i> by Juliette Cross</a><br /><a href="http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2017/11/review-white-lily-by-juliette-cross.html"><i>The White Lily</i> by Juliette Cross</a> <br /><br /><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/jXJ_uzD28ek" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/review-emerald-lily-by-juliette-cross.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-57448045810840527972018-01-26T00:30:00.000-05:002018-01-26T00:30:30.956-05:00Kindle Books I Forgot I Bought, Vol. 1<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DtpmIUyR_Xs/WkrG4_p4dNI/AAAAAAAAmvc/DbhHIddPqjwSuVP_rJjhFdqVGNTJqE1swCPcBGAYYCw/s400/IMG_2917.jpg" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">I was catching up on reading blog posts this week when I came across this post by Kristen over at <a href="http://www.seeyouinaporridge.com/2017/11/books-on-my-kindle-i-keep-forgetting.html">See You in Porridge</a> about how she has so many unread ebooks on her Kindle that she has forgotten about. I have never related to something so much in my recent memory. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I recently had to redownload all of my Kindle books because my four year old godson somehow deleted the app off of my iPad. I have so many unread books on there that it kind of makes me a bit sick. I don't even want to say the number out loud. Just suffice it to say that my unread ebook TBR makes my unread physical book pile look like a hill. I swear ebooks are like tribbles and they multiply when I'm not looking.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">As annoying as it is that the Kindle app doesn't have a download all button (Seriously, Amazon! That needs to be fixed!), it was fun and enlightening to discover all of the ebooks I forgot I had bought or been given. I will probably make this into a feature on the blog just so I can remind myself about some of the ebooks I own. So let's talk about some of the hidden treasures I found.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">If you want more information on each book, just click the cover and it will take you to Goodreads.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17259690-the-foxhole-court?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17259690-the-foxhole-court?ac=1&amp;from_search=true#" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RPABx9mYgcQ/WmqgOBr52uI/AAAAAAAAm-8/w_Qj0BjraQsUOGaoH40Xko4Xkz9X6DtIgCLcBGAs/s200/17259690.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>The Foxhole Court by Nora Sakavic</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>All for the Game</i> #1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">During my post-<i>Raven Cycle</i> book slump, I searched out anything that was remotely compared to the series. One of the biggest recommendations Tumblr had for me was the <i>All for the Game</i> series by Nora Sakavic. I honestly don't know much about it other than the <i>Raven Cycle</i> comparision. One of these days I'll read it. It helps that this book was free on Kindle.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455099-mechanica?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13455099-mechanica?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="315" height="200" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XCXVe7UBVxs/WmqhhgRnDtI/AAAAAAAAm_I/CxlNrqJaaNAZM3E8_n9H3t_17b1Bv-MvgCLcBGAs/s200/13455099.jpg" width="132" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Mechanica by Betsy Cornwell</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Mechanica</i> #1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I picked this book up when it was a Kindle deal. It was kind of a cover buy for me. Although, I was immediately sold once I read the synopsis. A steampunk <i>Cinderella</i> retelling where Cinderella is an inventor with a clockwork menagerie is something that is totally up my alley. Sadly, that's all I know about the book. I'm kind of sad it has been gathering dust on my Kindle. I was really excited to read it when I bought it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24259392-a-hidden-fire"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24259392-a-hidden-fire" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="297" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0WqP-BKXkfc/WmqjmoD_n5I/AAAAAAAAm_U/mkiGWWt8XJ4Eb81IwwJJczgDvxs6aOo5ACLcBGAs/s200/24259392.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>A Hidden Fire by Elizabeth Hunter</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Elemental Mysteries</i> #1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This is one of those free Kindle deals I've picked up over the years. All I know about it is that it has vampires and librarians and a slow burn romance. I'm a sucker for a good paranormal romance and this one has really good reviews. Also, it's the first in a series of four books and a couple spin-off series so it will be totally bingeable when I finally get around to reading it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9860837-ironskin?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/9860837-ironskin?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="473" data-original-width="318" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DkRukoRIwJw/WmqlrVmiTLI/AAAAAAAAm_g/oVuJFUa0tqM0ixEcFTkB0cT8SoujxK0UACLcBGAs/s200/9860837.jpg" width="134" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Ironskin by Tina Connolly</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Ironskin</i> #1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">This book is toted to be a paranormal retelling of <i>Jane Eyre</i> full of Fey, curses, and romance. I am still intrigued by the premise of a cursed governess trying to help a cursed child and her father. I feel bad that I completely forgot about this one while I was waiting for the series to be completed. I'm going to have to binge read the whole series soon.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25615831-dark-horse?ac=1&amp;from_search=true"><img alt="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/25615831-dark-horse?ac=1&amp;from_search=true" border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="298" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-GBniAFJQ0jU/WmqnxcSc_FI/AAAAAAAAm_s/sWErvjQbx9UQB52ZpZ9cMQs7YCPVmD70ACLcBGAs/s200/25615831.jpg" width="125" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Dark Horse by Michelle Diener</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">(<i>Class 5</i> #1)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I'm totally one of those people who buy books solely on the recommendation of a favorite author. So when my paranormal romance queen, Nalini Singh, raved and recommended this sci-fi romance on Twitter, I immediately bought it. The only things I know about it are: the romance is heartwarming, the worldbuilding is amazing, and that there is an AI involved. I really should read it soon. I'm always looking for a good sci-fi romance and I own the next two books in the series as well as this one. I'm perfectly set up to binge read it.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>What books have you found on your Kindle that you had forgotten about?</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>&nbsp;</b></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/57kxuVYYdzQ" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/kindle-books-i-forgot-i-bought-vol-1.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-52337514356976102872018-01-25T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-25T00:00:31.601-05:00Blog Tour: Excerpt and Giveaway Baby, I'm Howling For You by Christine Warren<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7xVDU7S7f8/Wi_9eL5H6JI/AAAAAAAACS8/RGNTPy7O5EU7V3bDTvL1MhUP4Il-FEROQCLcBGAs/s1600/Baby_I%2527m_Howling_For_You_FB_Social_Cover_v1.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="828" height="151" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-p7xVDU7S7f8/Wi_9eL5H6JI/AAAAAAAACS8/RGNTPy7O5EU7V3bDTvL1MhUP4Il-FEROQCLcBGAs/s400/Baby_I%2527m_Howling_For_You_FB_Social_Cover_v1.png" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7HoYBtgY0cQ/WkqnIMK37sI/AAAAAAAACW4/hAOakEcCu3cZQKRcyajUx3mBaNETAncFgCLcBGAs/s1600/Baby%2BIm%2BHowling%2Bfor%2BYou%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="991" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7HoYBtgY0cQ/WkqnIMK37sI/AAAAAAAACW4/hAOakEcCu3cZQKRcyajUx3mBaNETAncFgCLcBGAs/s320/Baby%2BIm%2BHowling%2Bfor%2BYou%2Bcover.jpg" width="198" /></a></div><b>Baby, I'm Howling For You</b><br />(Alphaville #1)<br />Christine Warren<br />Release: January 30, 2018<br /><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/s/?index=books&amp;keywords=9781250120724&amp;tag=macmillan-20" style="text-decoration: none;">Amazon</a> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?EAN=9781250120724&amp;afsrc=1&amp;lkid=J29980420&amp;pubid=K239557&amp;byo=1" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Barnes &amp; Noble</a> </span><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.booksamillion.com/product/9781250120724" style="text-decoration-line: none;">Books-a-Million</a></span></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.indiebound.org/book/9781250120724" style="text-decoration-line: none;">IndieBound</a> </span><a href="http://www.powells.com/partner/33241/biblio/9781250120724" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Powells</span></a></div><blockquote class="tr_bq"><blockquote class="tr_bq">WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps.</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…</blockquote><blockquote class="tr_bq">Mick Fischer thought he left his past behind when he moved to Alpha. But fate has a way of biting him in the tail when a female wolf shows up on his property. Wounded, desperate—and disarmingly hot—Renny brings out the snarling, protective alpha beast in Mick like no other woman he’s known. Can these two haunted, hunted wolves manage to mate for life…even as the deadliest past demons howl at their heels?</blockquote></blockquote><h2 style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;">Excerpt</span></h2><div style="text-align: center;">We've got the entire first chapter of <i>Baby, I'm Howling For You</i>. Enjoy!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><center><iframe height="500" src="https://docs.google.com/document/d/e/2PACX-1vSceyA0uhd2Q8zk-G3HSt_AOl9aHyndUkCUhLJeciB9WxhTfs2rClighA1NMc0UH4s24w-ElPNsg35e/pub?embedded=true" width="500"></iframe></center><br /><br />Check out my <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/really-short-reviews-alphaville-series.html">reviews</a> of <i>Baby, I'm Howling For You</i>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">and the prequel novella <i>Something to Howl About.</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><i><br /></i></div><div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x9L7vprEFiw/VBtbuTx1S2I/AAAAAAAAAJM/e2Vu6V41g5kF-vQnAJFNoFxCxU-RS_udwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2BGiveaways.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="114" data-original-width="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-x9L7vprEFiw/VBtbuTx1S2I/AAAAAAAAAJM/e2Vu6V41g5kF-vQnAJFNoFxCxU-RS_udwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2BGiveaways.png" /></a></div><br />Enter to win a mass market copy of BABY I’M HOWLING FOR YOU<br />&nbsp;(U.S. only)<br /><br /><div><a class="rcptr" data-raflid="bde1cd4c61" data-template="" data-theme="classic" href="http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/bde1cd4c61/" id="rcwidget_drn0jrux" rel="nofollow">a Rafflecopter giveaway</a><script src="https://widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js"></script></div><h2><span style="color: #3d85c6;">About the Author</span></h2><div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xcddp5N0M6Y/Wi_-VGEsEaI/AAAAAAAACTI/U79PHpe4v0wctVCdbA1ZkeHekXq4wgnsACLcBGAs/s1600/Christine%2BB%2526W.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="648" data-original-width="432" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xcddp5N0M6Y/Wi_-VGEsEaI/AAAAAAAACTI/U79PHpe4v0wctVCdbA1ZkeHekXq4wgnsACLcBGAs/s200/Christine%2BB%2526W.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">CHRISTINE WARREN is the bestselling author of The Others series, including Wolf at the Door, Big Bad Wolf, Born to Be Wild, Prince Charming Doesn’t Live Here, and Black Magic Woman. Born and raised in coastal New England, she now lives as a transplant in the Pacific Northwest. (She completely bypassed those states in the middle due to her phobia of being landlocked). When not writing, she enjoys horseback riding, playing with her pets, identifying dogs from photos of their underbellies, and most of all reading things someone else had to agonize over.</div></div></div><div style="color: #3d85c6;"><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://twitter.com/ChrstineWarren" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Twitter</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;"> - @ChristineWarren </span><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/Christine-Warren/149568208459879" style="text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Facebook</span></a><span style="color: black; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">- @ChristineWarren</span></div></div><div dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt;"><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://www.christinewarren.net/" style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #1155cc; font-family: &quot;arial&quot;; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: 400; text-decoration: underline; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre;">Author Website</span></a></div></div><span id="docs-internal-guid-3967247f-b39b-3703-7156-9e7211fa6cfd"><br /></span></div></div></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/IAyIfCJd17k" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/blog-tour-excerpt-and-giveaway-baby-im.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-6632042711687592412018-01-24T00:30:00.001-05:002018-01-24T14:17:01.855-05:00Rose Red's Beginner's Guide to Anime, Part Three<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4aEFR_ejkk/WfpE6RhMqyI/AAAAAAAAl9E/sPV0daILMXsgA_ae7lFYh56-P4t56cYkgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Blog%2BHeaders%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Woo! Welcome to the last and final part of my Beginner's Guide to Anime! Today, I'm talking about all of the anime movies I'd recommend for those who want to get into anime but don't know where to start. If you missed out on Parts One and Two of this Guide, you can find them <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part.html">here</a> and <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part_18.html">here</a>. I promise that I didn't just make a list of Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films. Well, mostly. Let's talk about some anime movies, shall we?</div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="305" data-original-width="540" height="225" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-mJA8YoZ2kG8/Wl7MD3QVNPI/AAAAAAAAm4o/IqI_Oe3RdwgT_Hr8-R0vE8YNJLvD9r6yQCLcBGAs/s400/name.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>your name. (2016)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Makoto Shinkai</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: CoMix Wave Films</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />In my opinion, you can't go wrong with any Makoto Shinkai film but I can say that <i>your name</i>. was my favorite movie I saw in the theaters in 2017, hands down. It's the story about two high school students who swap bodies. It's a story about the differences of living in different places with one of the characters living in Tokyo and the other in rural Japan. Not only is the story engrossing and heartwretching, but the animation is absolutely gorgeous! It's seriously beautiful. According to <i>The Hollywood Reported</i>, it beat out Miyazaki's <i>Spirited Away</i> to become the highest-grossing Japanese film of all time. So if you need another reason to go see it besides my opinion, you can't get better than that.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;This one will be available to rent from <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Your-Name-Makoto-Shinkai/dp/B078SPDR2M/ref=tmm_aiv_swatch_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=1516149547&amp;sr=8-1">Amazon</a> (and I'm sure iTunes) after January 30th. It's not streamed anywhere yet since it's such a new one. You'll have to wait unless you can buy it or borrow it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="292" data-original-width="540" height="216" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0Hpbsd8KS-o/Wl7I4c1YtUI/AAAAAAAAm4c/fK43GbINVkkA-_TbhNNsQOj5Mcymrj6uACLcBGAs/s400/howl3.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Howl's Moving Castle (2004)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Hayao Miyazaki</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: Studio Ghibli&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I seriously could list every Miyazaki film on this list and it wouldn't be wrong. His films are amazing! I highly recommend all of them! But I'm only going to discuss one of them and that would be my favorite, <i>Howl’s Moving Castle</i>. It's an adaptation of Diana Wynne Jones’ 1986 novel and is a whimsical adventure of the timid Sophie who has beem cursed with the body of an old crone by a jealous witch. She is rescued by a charismatic wizard who lives in a gigantic walking castle and Howl is my favorite. The whole cast of characters are awesome, to be honest. This is the film that I always recommend people start with who have never watched a Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli film before.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Unfortunately, Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli films aren't streamed so you're going to have to borrow it or buy it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="500" height="215" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-um1dinlx-7A/Wl7HPntlRwI/AAAAAAAAm4Q/6LHDqzxafrQ8-yLC8qPUpy6n_D7dMF0SACLcBGAs/s400/girl.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Mamoru Hosoda</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: Kadokawa Herald Pictures</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />If you discovered you could travel backwards in time, would you us your ability to help others or use it to help yourself? I would like to think I'd help others but I'd probably help myself like Makoto Konno in this movie. And that is essentially the premise of <i>The Girl Who Leapt Through Time</i> with Makoto discovering that there are consequences from her escapades through time. It’s a beautiful film with terrific animation. I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to watch it. It's sci-fi speculative wish fulfillment at it's best.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">You can watch this one on <a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/136928/">Funimation</a> if you have a premium subscription. You can buy/rent it through <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/movie/the-girl-who-leapt-through-time-dubbed/id1294971543">iTunes</a> or you can borrow it.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="280" data-original-width="498" height="223" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LNZSQvIcYC8/Wl7GrwmRpII/AAAAAAAAm4I/aRH46jJv710_SbJeNrjqkdrGV1OuZ6OoACLcBGAs/s400/arrietty.gif" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Secret World of Arrietty (2010)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Hiromasa Yonebayashi</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: Studio Ghibli</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />I'm going to be honest. I was kind of obsessed with Mary Norton’s <i>The Borrowers</i> as a kid and I've seen all of its many adaptations. My favorite version is definitely Studio Ghibli's version. Not surprising, right? We're all familiar with the plot of <i>The Borrowers</i> so what more can I say than go watch it? </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Again, Studio Ghibli films aren't streamed so you're going to have to borrow it or buy it. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="277" data-original-width="500" height="221" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x6aJCrr3cc8/Wl7F5QxIRkI/AAAAAAAAm38/jpVDq7Uzmi4S9xa2ezPdJrmpx6AtFtnAgCLcBGAs/s400/5cm.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>5 Centimeters Per Second (2007)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Makoto Shinkai</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: CoMix Wave Films</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;Before this last year, <i>5 Centimeters Per Second</i> was Makoto Shinkai's most well-known film. As much as I love <i>your name.</i>, this movie is probably the best one to be introduced to Shinkai's work. It's a slice-of-life movie that focuses on two childhood friends who pine for one another while the other circumstances in their lives are trying to pull them apart. It's a movie that touches on topics such as distance, relationships, and missed opportunities. The story is actually told as three short stories that follows the main character, Takaki Tono, through his childhood, teen years, and eventual adulthood. It's unique format complements the gorgeous animation beautifully. I love this move so much! </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Yay! One you can actually stream online! You can watch this on <a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/5-centimeters-per-second">Crunchyroll</a> with most of Shinkai's other films. </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="287" data-original-width="500" height="228" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kCj5wvdEyX8/Wl7FY7i4_TI/AAAAAAAAm30/GuSDdd30FzIDz9nrR9Ea9UlFThzK6PJiACLcBGAs/s400/whisper2.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Whisper of the Heart (1995)</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Director: Yoshifumi Kondo</div><div style="text-align: center;">Studio: Studio Ghibli</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I didn't mean to make this list 50% Studio Ghibli films but it happened anyway. <i>Whisper of the Heart</i> is one of Ghibli's underappreciated treasures. It is a heartwarming coming-of-age story with an adorably endearing a romance. It's the story of Shizuku, a precocious bookworm who falls for the violin-maker, Seiji Amasawa, after discovering he shares her love of literature. Instead of professing her feelings for him, she is inspired to pursue her own passion for writing as a way to deal with them. It sounds sad but it's really an amazing movie. We wouldn't expect anything less than that from a Studio Ghibli film, would we?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>How to Watch:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">Sorry! I hate that Studio Ghibli films aren't offered digitally or streamed! Unfortunately, if you want to watch it you're going to have to borrow or buy it.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: center;"><b>That wraps up the my Beginner's Guide to anime. Is there any anime movies that I missed that you'd recommend for a newbie?</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/qNNkNlYkugs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part_24.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-11440153323178446872018-01-23T00:30:00.000-05:002018-01-23T01:50:38.112-05:00Manga Reviews: Astra Lost in Space, Vols. 1 and 2<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-N30gnepje4w/WmFx55Q5T_I/AAAAAAAAm48/_qsya5KYSRIVEZEOlM3bLPKPxf-lFvgWACLcBGAs/s320/34852838.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><b>Astra Lost in Space, Vol. 1</b><br />(Astra Lost in Space #1)<br />Kenata Shinohara<br />Release: December 5, 2017<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34852838-astra-lost-in-space-vol-1?ac=1&amp;from_search=true">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1421596946/ref=x_gr_w_glide_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_glide_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=1421596946&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><blockquote><span id="freeText3108738839184321526">What starts as a pleasant class trip to a planet five light-years away becomes a nightmare survival trip to get back home.<br /><br />In the year 2063, interstellar space travel has become the norm. What sort of adventure awaits on the new frontier?<br /><br /> It's the first day of Planet Camp, and Aries Spring couldn't be more excited! She, along with eight other strangers, leave for Planet McPa for a week long excursion. Soon after they arrive, however, a mysterious orb appears and transports them into the depths of space, where they find an empty floating spaceship…</span></blockquote><br /><b>Review:</b><br />I picked up this series because I was looking for a good sci-fi manga and this one was getting quite a bit of hype a few months ago when the English translation came out. I'm so glad I picked it up! It's a solid start to a new manga series. The first part of this volume was slow and a bit weird. It was mainly setup to introduce the characters.<br /><br />The second half was a total shift in the narrative and I am all here for it! It's basically a YA <i>Lost in Space</i> meets <i>Swiss Family Robinson</i> with a bit of <i>Titan AE</i> and <i>Up</i> thrown in for some flavor. I love a good misfit crew story and it was fun watching the characters start to learn to work together and to depend on each other. Although, some of the characters are still a mystery. Plus, there's a bigger conspiracy behind our poor "shipwrecked" cast and how they exactly ended up on their abandoned ship far from where they started. I can't wait to see where this story goes.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-lGych8as4oc/UL02B1BHx4I/AAAAAAAADig/a9qJH3v7DWc/s1600/blog+iced.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="475" data-original-width="317" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-JHOlRfGkR0E/WmFx5xuQiHI/AAAAAAAAm44/VmAuLsDRI8Yl8NkBqE2KhpMToZUYiMcowCEwYBhgL/s320/35658073.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Astra Lost in Space, Vol. 2</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">(Astra Lost in Space #2)</div><div style="text-align: left;">Kenata Shinohara</div><div style="text-align: left;">Release: January 23, 2018</div><div style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35658073-astra-lost-in-space-vol-2#">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Astra-Lost-Space-Vol-2-ebook/dp/B078C52Y7R/ref=tmm_kin_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&amp;qid=&amp;sr=">Amazon</a></div><div style="text-align: left;"><blockquote><span id="freeText14276452530030729326">What starts as a pleasant class trip to a planet five light-years away from Earth becomes a nightmare survival trip back home from 5,000 light-years away.<br /><br />In the year 2063, interstellar space travel has become the norm. What sort of adventure awaits on the new frontier?<br /><br />The situation aboard the Astra intensifies as Zack reveals to Kanata that the ship’s communication system has recently been sabotaged and that it’s likely one of their new friends who tried to murder them! The mystery deepens as the crew members are overtaken by confusion and anger and start to question each other’s motives. Just as the argument comes to a head, the side of the ship explodes, shutting down the controls and gravity system and setting the Astra on a collision course with the second planet on their trip, Shummoor.</span></blockquote></div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /><b>Review:</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'm really enjoying this series so far! It's very much a YA space opera and I'm digging it. The interactions between the characters are amazing and their explorations are intriguing. Volume 2 picks up a few weeks after Volume 1 left off and things are getting interesting as they arrive at the second planet for resupplying their trip home. The main mystery is still unsolved and there looks to be a saboteur on board but that's all put aside so everyone can concentrate on surviving.<br /><br />One of my favorite things about this manga so far are the planet visits. The animals and flora are interesting and the adventures the crew have when they go planet-side are fun and thrilling. I'm also loving seeing everyone uses their unique knowledge and talents to solve problems. We got to learn more about Yun-hua's backstory and I will say that I did not see that coming. I'm really looking forward to getting my hands on volume 3 and seeing what trouble these teens get into next. I hope we learn more about Ulgar next too! I also hope that we get to see some answers as to why this group has ended up together and where they are in the next volume too.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley</i></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b> 4 / 5 Stars</b><br /><b><br /></b><br /><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/--7vNAcY8Ks8/VBZOldF20FI/AAAAAAAAJ90/For2YjF8WxYWswyo7_MFaijYQIhvUnAIQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BReview%2Bby%2Brose%2Bred.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/QeqDr1JVoKA" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/manga-reviews-astra-lost-in-space-vols.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-72138851929587925712018-01-22T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-22T00:00:03.507-05:00The Results Are In! Survey Says:<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you to everyone who took time to answer our Follower Feedback Survey!</div><div style="text-align: center;">So many people had nice to things to say in the comments, so thanks for that as well. I’m not going to bore you with all the details but I thought I’d share a few things for everyone who was curious about the results.<br /><br />First of all, apparently I’m the only weirdo who reads the blog on an iPad. 65% of you read on your computers and 35% on your phones. (I asked that question to confirm that we need to be aware of how the blog looks in both the web and mobile versions.)<br /><br />But here are the more interesting stats:<br /><br /><h2>What Genres Do You Read?</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJr8gFc8TVE/Wl4zzMsF6RI/AAAAAAAACX0/TvN3IyBlhSQr_uOiP4heqI8VJDAGwNocACLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0977.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="878" data-original-width="1185" height="295" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LJr8gFc8TVE/Wl4zzMsF6RI/AAAAAAAACX0/TvN3IyBlhSQr_uOiP4heqI8VJDAGwNocACLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0977.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />You guys love Urban Fantasy. We love it too so yay!<br />Lots of you also like both adult and YA Fantasy, Paranormal Romance and SciFi.<br /><br /><h2>What are your favorite types of posts?</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NbDAtrY5aA/Wl40nI9vS9I/AAAAAAAACX4/oJztnxHXKcEXC6cHvnBwY9ObtezHh2h1gCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0978.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="756" data-original-width="1306" height="231" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9NbDAtrY5aA/Wl40nI9vS9I/AAAAAAAACX4/oJztnxHXKcEXC6cHvnBwY9ObtezHh2h1gCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0978.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br /><h2>What posts do you dislike?</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F6ZV-HIN6K0/Wl41mWFHqMI/AAAAAAAACYI/zeJH4ZEhBjkRqYMDgxHXetalm7MRG8OcgCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0979.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1180" height="292" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-F6ZV-HIN6K0/Wl41mWFHqMI/AAAAAAAACYI/zeJH4ZEhBjkRqYMDgxHXetalm7MRG8OcgCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0979.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And you love book reviews, which is good since we're a book blog. We're planning to do more lists, more RTFBs and a monthly discussion. Some of you don't like unboxings and those are going to be on Instagram only starting with the January boxes. We'll still let you know when they're happening with a note on the blog for those of you who do like them.<br /><br /><h2>What do you want to see on our social media?</h2><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qfcRj968XU/Wl43Kj_LugI/AAAAAAAACYY/hQ0W8xIU8okA26ZE0vsEdHkwLSNtXG3kQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_0980.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="866" data-original-width="1246" height="277" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2qfcRj968XU/Wl43Kj_LugI/AAAAAAAACYY/hQ0W8xIU8okA26ZE0vsEdHkwLSNtXG3kQCLcBGAs/s400/IMG_0980.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />And lots of you want to see more book recs, deal alerts, and general fangirling on social media so we'll try to make that happen. Watch our <a href="https://www.facebook.com/GoldiloxandtheThreeWeres/">Facebook</a>, <a href="https://www.instagram.com/goldiloxandthethreeweres/">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/threeweres">Twitter</a>.<br /><br /><b>If you missed the survey but have a comment or a suggestion about what you'd like to see on the blog, feel free to leave it below.</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/tdqRVm0emxs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/the-results-are-in-survey-says.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-60588834692681767962018-01-19T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-19T00:00:29.753-05:00Early Review: Don't Rush Me by Jackie May<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515547210l/37888434.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="37888434" border="0" height="320" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1515547210l/37888434.jpg" width="200" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b>Don't Rush Me</b><br />(Nora Jacobs #1)<br />Jackie May<br />Release: January 25, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36704044-don-t-rush-me">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078WKJBPH/ref=x_gr_w_bb?ie=UTF8&amp;tag=x_gr_w_bb-20&amp;linkCode=as2&amp;camp=1789&amp;creative=9325&amp;creativeASIN=B078WKJBPH&amp;SubscriptionId=1MGPYB6YW3HWK55XCGG2">Amazon</a><br /><i>ARC provided by the author via Netgalley</i><br /><blockquote><b>Most humans have no idea that a dark and deadly underworld, filled with magic and monsters, exists. They wander through life blissfully ignorant of the supernatural world around them. Nora Jacobs is different. Nora knows exactly what kinds of hellish creatures haunt the streets of Detroit.&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Thanks to a unique set of psychic abilities, Nora has managed to steer clear of the underworld most of her life. But all that changes the night the most powerful vampire in the city discovers her gifts and decides to use her as a tool to find one of his missing clan members.&nbsp;</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>As if that’s not bad enough, Nora believes she’s cursed. All her life, people, especially men, have been drawn to her—some to the point of obsession and violence. Underworlders, it seems, are not immune to this curse, and now she’s caught the attention of some of the most dangerous monsters in the city.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Neck deep in an investigation only she can solve, Nora quickly makes as many new allies as she does enemies. Her biggest problem is staying alive long enough to decide which is which</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><b><br /></b>It's been a while since I've discovered a new Urban Fantasy series. The Nora Jacobs series seems to have everything I love about UF: a mystery plot, a heroine who can take care of herself, and a wide variety of supernaturals. May calls them Underworlders - vampires, werewolves, trolls, fae, and a few whose natures haven't been revealed yet. It even has a supernatural law enforcement agency, the Federal Underworld Agency, and I love those. It's old school and I really enjoyed it.<br /><br />But here's the thing that bugged me: there are just so many triggers! I'm not particularly sensitive to references to rape and abuse but if you are, this is not the book for you. Nora grew up in the foster system and was abused and assaulted frequently throughout her childhood. She references those experiences several times and even has a few flashbacks. They serve a purpose in the story, but I still think it could have been toned down. She's also kidnapped and violated in the present.<br /><br />Nora also has what she calls a curse, but comes to believe is some Underworld in her family tree. Men have always been attracted to her, sometimes to the point of obsession and abuse. The whole thing feels too much like victim blaming, even though she's the one doing it. Everyone else seems to go along with it when she explains. I know that victims often blame themselves and I hope that Nora works through it over the course of the series, but at this point it makes me a little bit uncomfortable.<br /><br />Despite all that, I basically felt like <i>Don't Rush Me</i> was a fun book. I liked Nora, her psychic skills, and the supporting characters. I love the found family theme, which enforces that "old school UF" feel I was talking about. I'm curious to see where the series goes so I'll be on the lookout for book two.<br /><br /><br /><b>Recommended for fans of: Hannah Jayne's Underworld Detection Agency series, Gravewitch by Kalayna Price</b><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;1/2</div><div style="text-align: center;">3 1/2&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;stars</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><br /><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/Hptr-IzVmcM" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/early-review-dont-rush-me-by-jackie-may.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-43789946329365109762018-01-18T00:30:00.000-05:002018-01-18T00:30:01.114-05:00Rose Red's Beginner's Guide to Anime, Part Two<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4aEFR_ejkk/WfpE6RhMqyI/AAAAAAAAl9E/sPV0daILMXsgA_ae7lFYh56-P4t56cYkgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Blog%2BHeaders%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div>Woo! Part Two of my Beginner's Guide to Anime is here! I'm have four more series to recommend for those who want to get into anime but don't know where to start. If you missed out on Part One, you can find it <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part.html">here</a>. My next anime post will be Part Three of this series and will be all about the best anime movies to start with as a newbie. Let's talk about more anime shows, shall we?<br /><br /><u>A Note On Anime Streaming:</u> You don't need a subscription to watch most of these animes. As long as you don't mind watching ads, you can stream this whole list on Crunchyroll or Funimation for FREE!<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="500" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-kV8oCLsbEOU/WlBVnJUsOyI/AAAAAAAAm1s/X9LabV6Jsycbq28y9iyTMUZiAStfSVybACLcBGAs/s400/noragami.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Noragami</b></span></span><br />Episodes: 25 + 4 OVAs<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/20507/Noragami?q=noragami">Synopsis</a><br /><br /><i>Noragami</i> is an anime about a minor god who wishes to be a major god with his own shrine and a human girl who winds up sucked into the world of the paranormal when she suffers an accident that has a side effect that causes her soul to literally slip out of her body at random times. I fell head over heels in love with this anime with its gods and spirits who turn into weapons. It has a little bit of everything but it's done in a way that makes it one of those animes that you seriously can't stop watching once you start. I love the characters and the way the story invests in their growth. We get each character's personal backstory while still having a plot that involves all the characters. It has tons of humor that doesn't down play the seriousness of the plot or the characters. It's SO good, guys! I need them to make a Season 3 so badly! I'll just have to content myself with catching up with the manga for now.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<b>Can Be Watched On:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hulu.com/noragami">Hulu</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/19754/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/noragami">Crunchyroll (Only Season 1)</a><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="500" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bC9qK_mEYZg/WlAgdQ3dF_I/AAAAAAAAmz4/whZ9IwcVuOEKYqW-H0MqPo_Xt7ZJH6WTQCPcBGAYYCw/s400/haikyu.gif" width="400" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Haikyu!!</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Episodes: 60&nbsp;+ an OVA<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/20583/Haikyuu?q=haikyu">Synopsis</a><br /><br />Look another sports anime made my Beginner's Guide! <i>Haikyu!!</i> is an volleyball anime where the characters are the main reason to watch the show. There is seriously something to love about almost every character and I love their interactions! The friendships in this show are just amazing to watch grow and develop. <i>Haikyu!!</i> has a large cast of characters but that aspect of the show is handled SO well. The match scenes are pretty intense and awesome to watch. Plus, it has a ton of episodes if you're in the mood for a substantial binge watch. I've been holding out on watching Season 3 because I'm not ready to be out of episodes yet. I have my fingers crossed that 2018 is the year they announce a Season 4.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b>&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/haikyu">Crunchyroll</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hulu.com/haikyu">Hulu</a><br /><br /><img border="0" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-mqhAb9FA1Oo/WlBaa89tbDI/AAAAAAAAm2E/ucpM9MKNXGoiUMlMWBFyWktf5o4XClh3ACLcBGAs/s400/magus%2527%2Bbride.gif" width="400" /><br /><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>The Ancient Magus' Bride</b></span></span></div></div><div style="text-align: center;">Episodes: 24 + a 3 Episode OVA series<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/35062/Mahoutsukai_no_Yome?q=the%20anc">Synopsis</a><br /><br /><i>The Ancient Magus' Bride</i> is the only anime in this guide that's still currently airing. I'm not sure how to describe it. It's dark, whimsical, and a delightfully magical journey as we watch the main character, Chise, find her place in the world as a Sleigh Beggy and a mage in training after she is bought at auction by the mage Elias Ainsworth. I love this anime so much! And we're only to episode 14 of a 24 epsiode Season 1. There are dragons and fairies and even a King of Cats. I love watching Elias and Chise interact and how their relationship dynamic changes as the season progresses. And the secondary characters are amazing! I adore Ruth so much! I can't recommend this anime enough. The story is fascinating and the animation is absolutely gorgeous!&nbsp; <br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/the-ancient-magus-bride">Crunchyroll</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/524044/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="441" data-original-width="800" height="220" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1JDXS7rjFK4/WlBb8Chvf0I/AAAAAAAAm2U/K68sLCEK75QBORTCqYp6r-0vr7pD83mvQCLcBGAs/s400/hotguycharacter.gif" width="400" /></div><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Recovery of an MMO Junkie<br />Episodes: 10&nbsp;+ an OVA<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/36038/Net-juu_no_Susume?q=recov">Synopsis</a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I have never related more to an anime character than I have to Moriko Morioka from <i>Recovery of an MMO Junkie</i>. Moriko has left the stressful corporate world to become a NEET which, in her case, is someone who stays home all day and plays video games. We follow her as she starts an new online game and the friendships she makes. I loved watching her navigate her way online and in meeting her online friends in real life. This anime quickly become one of my favorites of the fall 2017 anime season. It's adorable and relatable and was way too short for my liking. I need a second season like I need air. Actually, I want several more seasons if we're being honest. Also, I need the web manga to be translated into English, please and thank you!<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/recovery-of-an-mmo-junkie">Crunchyroll</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/524722/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That wraps up the TV anime recs portion of this guide. Is there any animes I missed that you'd recommend for a newbie?<br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/ozzYIg1f1gc" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part_18.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-45295972569556593032018-01-17T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-17T00:00:02.163-05:00We Love Lists: Book Titles That Gave Me Earworms<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jU9KVO4mp6w/WkqiphcS6aI/AAAAAAAACWs/cLwNDCpLIic7k114gUC_012wZH6AQWfYQCLcBGAs/s1600/IMG_2917.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="344" data-original-width="611" height="180" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-jU9KVO4mp6w/WkqiphcS6aI/AAAAAAAACWs/cLwNDCpLIic7k114gUC_012wZH6AQWfYQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2917.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />Christine Warren has a new shifter romance releasing this month called <i><a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/really-short-reviews-something-to-howl.html">Baby, I'm Howling For You</a></i>.&nbsp;I posted about it on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BbcPVNdnnrh/?taken-by=goldiloxandthethreeweres">Instagram</a> saying that for once I actually liked the song that got stuck in my head because of a book title. And that got me thinking about some of the book-related earworms I've experienced over the years.<br /><br />Sometimes the author deliberately chooses song titles for their whole series like in Warren's case. The next book in her series is called<i>&nbsp;Lion Eyes.&nbsp;</i>(Why she went from a 2010 song to The Eagles circa 1975, I have no idea.) And sometimes it's just my brain making a connection that no one intended but I'm stuck with anyway.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Here are my Top 5 Book Titles That Gave Me Earworms</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /><img alt="30339479" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1498939281l/30339479.jpg" width="132" /><br /><b>5. You’ll Miss Me When I’m Gone by Rachel Lynn</b> <b>Solomon&nbsp;</b><br />I’ve been singing the “Cups Song” from Pitch Perfect for a week now since I saw someone talking about this book on Twitter. (I know it’s a real song outside the movie, but I don’t think I’ve actually heard it anywhere else.) Sometimes I veer off in to “Titanium” but not the whole song, just the part they sing in the shower scene.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img alt="30712676" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1477960709l/30712676.jpg" width="124" /><br /><b>4. Magic For Nothing by Seanan Maguire</b><br />I thought the Dire Straits reference was accidental (Remember "Money For Nothing" from the MTV commercials?) until I found out the next book in the <i>Incryptid</i> series is called <i>Tricks For Free. </i>That's the next line in the song for those of you not up on your 80's hair bands<i>. </i>And now I'm doomed to hear "I want my MTV" every time I see this book. <i>Tricks For Free </i>just went up on Netgalley so I’m having a lot of &nbsp;“No, not again!” moments.<br /><br /><img alt="21840287" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1399433845l/21840287.jpg" width="123" /><br /><b>3. Tainted Blood by M.L. Brennan</b><br />This one wasn't deliberate, but the <i>Generation V</i> series now has me singing "Tainted Love" by Soft Cell. Seriously, why are 80's songs so darn catchy?<br /><br /><img alt="26089018" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1439403313l/26089018.jpg" width="133" /><br /><b>2. We Don't Need Another Hero by Sierra Dean</b><br />Mad Max. Tina Turner. This shouldn't be a bad one, but when I was little we had a Muppet song parodies calendar. Now I just hear my mother singing "We don't need another Gonzo. He don't even know the way home." She sounds nothing like Tina Turner.<br /><br /><img alt="36159798" height="200" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1504226120l/36159798.jpg" width="125" /><br /><b>1. Bite the Hand That Bleeds by Megan Erickson</b><br />This short takes the top spot because it's an earworm two-fer. There's the obvious one, "The Hand That Feeds" by Nine Inch Nails. But since the series is called <i>Mission</i> and I'm already thinking about Trent Reznor, what actually stays with me for days is "Past the Mission," this creepy, atmospheric duet he did with Tori Amos.<br /><br /><b>Do you have a song stuck in your head now too?</b><br /><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/unnamed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-K6K5Zc_ARuo/VB91wceqhII/AAAAAAAAAKc/KRVq-2tsCUkfUJYEJ4cmJGV9CpidBPdvwCPcBGAYYCw/s320/unnamed.png" width="320" /></a></div><h2><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><br /></span></h2><h2><span style="color: #3d85c6;">What title gave you an earworm?</span></h2></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/TumeUgRUM_0" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/we-love-lists-book-titles-that-gave-me.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-41533049255392717432018-01-16T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-16T00:00:20.234-05:00Really Short Reviews: The Alphaville Series by Christine Warren<div class="separator tr_bq" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510766090l/36442122.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="36442122" border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1510766090l/36442122.jpg" width="276" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b>Something to Howl About</b><br />(Alphaville #.5)<br />Christine Warren<br />Release: January 2, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36442122-something-to-howl-about">Goodreads </a><a href="https://www.amazon.com/Something-Howl-About-Alphaville-Story-ebook/dp/B076B9YVMV/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1515699826&amp;sr=8-1&amp;keywords=something+to+howl+about+and+alphaville+story">Amazon</a><br /><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley</i><br /><blockquote><b>WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps, in a brand-new paranormal romance series from New York Times bestselling author Christine Warren.</b><br /><br /><b>Dr. Annie Cryer has been called many things: Genius. Child prodigy. Scientific wonder.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Wolf Shifter.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Banished from her pack years ago, Annie’s lone wolf wandering has brought her to Alpha, Washington, home to all shifters who don't quite fit in in the "normal" shifter word. Now Annie has the chance to go back home...if only she can make good on a favor her alpha owes the mayor of “Alphaville.” But it's not much of a favor when you're helping the hottest shifter in town...</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Grizzly shifter Jonas Browning has a clan in trouble. They haven't had a child born in over a hundred years...and their clan faces going completely extinct. Genetic scientist Anne Cryer has been sent to help save them. But what Jonas doesn't count on is being irresistibly drawn to the small wolf shifter, and his bear isn't about to let her go...</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><b><br /></b>This is a pretty short prequel story so there's not a lot of development. Not as much is needed because of the shifters' fated mates, but I feel like the plot could have supported a longer story. It would have been interesting to go into Annie's research a little. While the story does introduce the town of Alphaville, I would also have liked to learn more about the residents and the packs/clans. I'm hoping that I'll get that in the first full book of the series.<br /><br />I also felt like consent was questionable at the early (kissing) stages of Jonas and Annie's relationship. With so much attention on sexual harassment and assault lately, that over the top alpha behavior, even though it's pretty standard in shifter romances, feels especially squicky.<br /><br />This story is set about a year before <i>Baby, I'm Howling For You</i>. Jonas does appear in that book but it's not absolutely necessary to read this one first.<br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">3&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;stars</b><br /><br /></div><br /><a href="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496780167l/34964897.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="34964897" border="0" height="400" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1496780167l/34964897.jpg" width="247" /></a><b></b><br /><b><b><br /></b></b><b>Baby, I'm Howling For You</b><br />(Alphaville #1)<br />Christine Warren<br />Release: January 30, 2018<br /><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34964897-baby-i-m-howling-for-you">Goodreads</a> <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Baby-Im-Howling-You-Alphaville-ebook/dp/B073TS6145/ref=pd_sim_351_1?_encoding=UTF8&amp;psc=1&amp;refRID=DE0KJDP0W4MDD6TE88M7">Amazon</a><br /><div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; margin: 0px; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;"><i>ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley</i></div><blockquote><b>WELCOME TO ALPHAVILLE, where the she-wolves and alpha-males play. . .for keeps.</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Renny Landry is a wolf on the run. Pursued by a shapeshifting stalker and his slobbering pack of killer coyotes, she is forced to flee her job as a librarian to find sanctuary in the wooded hills of Alpha, Washington. A well-secluded safe space for troubled shifters, Alpha is Renny’s last hope. But the first person she meets there is a gorgeous alpha male with fiery eyes, fierce tattoos, and one ferocious appetite—for her…</b><br /><b><br /></b><b>Mick Fischer thought he left his past behind when he moved to Alpha. But fate has a way of biting him in the tail when a female wolf shows up on his property. Wounded, desperate—and disarmingly hot—Renny brings out the snarling, protective alpha beast in Mick like no other woman he’s known. Can these two haunted, hunted wolves manage to mate for life…even as the deadliest past demons howl at their heels?</b></blockquote><b>Review:</b><br /><b><br /></b>Alphaville is set in the same world as Warren's Others series, which I haven't read. I might have a better idea what it means to be an alpha in this world if I had, but in general I don't feel like I'm missing any important details. I have read some of her Gargoyles series and like with Alphaville so far, I love the ideas behind it, but the execution is just okay.<br /><br />Mick and Renny are a book nerd's dream couple, a graphic novelist and a librarian. Some of my favorite moments are when she talks about his work. But he also has a throw the woman over his shoulder and drag her back to his cave moment that I could do without. It's very similar to that same moment in the prequel novella and in general, I feel like there are too many similarities between the romances in the two stories.<br /><br />I did like getting to meet more of Alpha's residents this time. I love the variety of shifter types, which includes badgers and wolverines in addition to the usual wolves, bears and cats, as well as the variety of personalities. I'm always a fan of small towns with big personalities. What I like most about this particular story are the police procedural elements, even though it's not actually told from a police POV. It is setting up Deputy Zeke for his own book so I have high hopes for the next one in the series.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JdJqu_K6Uuw/UH769-0UgbI/AAAAAAAACuA/esa0drkRCtM/s1600/blog+yellow_dark+stars.png" /></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;">3&nbsp;<b>&nbsp;stars</b><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="600" height="48" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5ovO2j-myjQ/VBmwaj0J_DI/AAAAAAAAAIs/A6EYBZxYuy8ZyTUxXdz5yJjbYocOSs9FQCPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2Breview%2Bby%2Bgretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><b><br /></b><br /><br /><br /></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/22aPJXXDHe4" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/really-short-reviews-alphaville-series.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-35369325601546969312018-01-12T00:00:00.000-05:002018-01-12T00:18:22.831-05:00Weres Wanna Know: How do you organize your TBR?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-bEzYkf_2-Jo/Vs-LBcXoceI/AAAAAAAALNA/cnngBrpfV_s62vRUa5GNyv0ftxlXp8p_QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/2.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />Even though we Weres like many of the same books, we are very different in some ways. Here's a big one: how we organize our TBRs and track our reading goals. Rose Red uses spreadsheets, but I'm not a fan of them and I'm pretty sure the feeling is mutual. I've been writing down the books I read and the reviews on my to do list in my planner for at least the last five years. This year I'm trying out a reading journal in addition to my daily planner.<br /><br />In this post, we'll show you both of our methods and then we want to hear about yours.<br /><br /><h2> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Gretl aka The Planner Extraordinaire</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-5wjjDeByaRg/WlbeWeVd2YI/AAAAAAAACXY/SN9zZpCzW8QusSPOpzwHCzvV7fQFVQ0kgCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2989.jpg" width="320" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">I've been using a planner to keep track of release dates, to do lists and what books I read for a few years now. I put release dates and review books on the monthly page. My new journal even has a column for a monthly TBR. For the first time this year I also made a list of my unread books in the notes section at the back of the planner. It was mostly to plan for the <a href="https://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/2017-reading-challenge-recap-and-2018.html">Beat the Backlist Challenge</a> but I thought it was interesting to see how long the list was. I didn't do the math, but the ebooks took up five pages.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qUzPEnHnRXk/WlbehNtWKGI/AAAAAAAACXk/n-HI68uTxWMj1FUr80tQ6qRT9lIxKzP_gCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2988.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Then I make a to do list each week and check off tasks as they're completed. This year I added a line down the middle of the weekly page to separate blog tasks from things like doctor's appointments. In the past I've recorded books read on the day I finished them, but the reading journal has a separate page so I'm trying to get used to using that.<br /><img border="0" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-uNHML8DPf7M/WlbehC5e_iI/AAAAAAAACXg/mGOmOb9A_t02tPTwvC6ETyiThrqZ2KBsQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2987.jpg" /><br />I'm still trying to decide which planner to put blog tasks in. Are they regular to do's or reading related? Right now they're in both. The weekly pages repeat a lot of the same information so I still have some kinks to work out. Plus I also have a notebook for review notes and I feel like having three places to write in might be too much.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><img border="0" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-NApdMYfy4N0/WlbehPSNb4I/AAAAAAAACXc/7QP1B0mmCAcGPJkDItJLYtieKM6thpGXQCLcBGAs/s320/IMG_2990.jpg" /><br /><br />And I keep my Currently Reading, Want to Read and Recently Read books updated on Goodreads. It doesn't have every book I own or every book I've ever read, but it has the ones I've read since I joined in 2012. Now that I write it all out, that's a lot of tracking to keep track of!</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><h2> <span style="color: #3d85c6;">Rose Red aka The Spreadsheet Enthusiast</span></h2></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="681" data-original-width="1600" height="170" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7W2BYy-4TDY/WlgJ8vESedI/AAAAAAAAm28/TBXa8mLOj448Tzhl8I7U_2R3LgCw3r65wCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-01-11%2Bat%2B6.05.17%2BPM.png" width="400" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2018 TBR</span><br /><br />I love spreadsheets! Outside of the blogosphere, I'm a scientist so, as you can imagine, I use spreadsheets a lot. Originally, I started tracking my reading via Excel when I was frustrated with Goodreads for not having a function to count rereads at the time. It then blossomed into me tracking my reading stats, my pre-orders, book releases, my physical TBR list, my reading log, and my physical book inventory all in spreadsheets. Man, I'm starting to doubt my sanity listing all of those down. O.o<br /><br /> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="748" data-original-width="1600" height="186" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-aMi0i1QXyg0/WlgJ88FMzMI/AAAAAAAAm28/LSL_EA0V-TA3yVNHZQqufhR9JWj1D-9eACPcBGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-01-11%2Bat%2B6.04.28%2BPM.png" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">2018 Book Releases </span></div><br />I don't want to go into formulas and a lot of details because I could write a whole post on just one of my sheets. For the most part, I set up my spreadsheets for the next year over Christmas break and just enter data as I read during the year. So I think it's not as time intensive over the year as Gretl's planner but my tracking is spread out in more places though. Most of my spreadsheets are kind of similar to each other and track a lot of the same things like Title, Author, POV, Author Gender, Series, etc. I've done this on purpose so I can copy and paste things between spreadsheets more easily. I do like to track special stats like my projected TBR finish date in my Physical TBR sheet.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="629" data-original-width="1600" height="157" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-w8q5mQaSNO4/WlgdE16pllI/AAAAAAAAm3M/yzYF6H7jiTMLeuQFx-t8tByDD6xMVFdHgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-01-11%2Bat%2B7.27.00%2BPM.png" width="400" /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Stats Page in My Book Stats Spreadsheet </span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">My favorite/most used spreadsheet has to be my Book Stats sheet. If you're looking for a great pre-made spreadsheet where you just plug values in, check out <a href="http://itsallaboutbooks.de/2017/12/spreadsheet-books-2018/">Crini's 2018 Book Spreadsheet</a>. You can save a copy to your Google Drive and have it for your own. And she has even a manual for those who need one. You can track your audiobook listening, longest/shortest books, what you buy, library reads, how many books by each author, and so much more! This year I'm actually using Crini's sheet as my base sheet. I track a few more things than she does so I just added those sections in. Her sheet is truly impressive and a great place to start. I highly recommend checking it out if you want to try using a spreadsheet.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="718" data-original-width="950" height="241" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-1ldV3FKH5ag/WlgiWOC_MwI/AAAAAAAAm3c/h3CqQ_htZrYjzAdsRwO5IgzhI9nikWfVgCPcBGAYYCw/s320/Screen%2BShot%2B2018-01-11%2Bat%2B6.51.58%2BPM.png" width="320" /></div><br /><span style="font-size: x-small;">The Stat Tracker in my TBR Spreadsheet. Look at those projected finish dates. </span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">Like Gretl, I also track a lot things on Goodreads like my Currently Reading, Want to Read, Owned Books, Physical TBR books, and Beat the Backlist books. It's a bit redundant but I like when my spreadsheets match my Goodreads shelves.</div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>How do you organize your TBR and reading goals?</b></span></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LWGqOk-zGE0/VEhtB8iBk3I/AAAAAAAAKA0/i58A_sJjwXo8p6FDlsLdRabftH87gTlqACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BGretl.png" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-LWGqOk-zGE0/VEhtB8iBk3I/AAAAAAAAKA0/i58A_sJjwXo8p6FDlsLdRabftH87gTlqACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BGretl.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">and</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><img height="320" src="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/83/2017/12/2018-Discussion-Challenge.png" width="320" /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">We're participating in the 2018 Discussion Challenge.<br /><br />Check out all the <a href="https://itstartsatmidnight.com/2018/01/january-2018-discussion-challenge-link-giveaway/">January discussions</a>!</div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/pMjCd9Q-nBs" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Margaret Cookhttps://plus.google.com/103638316532400278977noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/weres-wanna-know-how-do-you-organize.htmltag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1344337767758151860.post-63580121255113504812018-01-11T00:30:00.000-05:002018-01-11T00:30:44.591-05:00Rose Red's Beginner's Guide to Anime, Part One<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4aEFR_ejkk/WfpE6RhMqyI/AAAAAAAAl9E/sPV0daILMXsgA_ae7lFYh56-P4t56cYkgCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/Blog%2BHeaders%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="560" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-P4aEFR_ejkk/WfpE6RhMqyI/AAAAAAAAl9E/sPV0daILMXsgA_ae7lFYh56-P4t56cYkgCPcBGAYYCw/s400/Blog%2BHeaders%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;">This past year I've gotten back into watching anime thanks to a certain really popular figure skating anime and it feels like I've found myself again. I've loved anime since my Best Friend first introduced me to <i>Sailor Moon</i> and <i>Death Note</i> in high school but it was hard and expensive to get a hold of. We were limited by what we could get our hands on physically which was usually only the popular shows that would make it in the American markets, Studio Ghibli films, and fansubs that were uploaded to the internet not so legally.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">Now, there is just so much anime we can stream across multiple platforms that it can be hard to choose what to watch first. Today, I want to put my two cents in and recommend the series I think work best for those who want to get into anime but don't know where to start. I'm going do this post in three installments because it would be super long otherwise. This post and the next one will each feature four of my favorite TV animes that are great for newbies and veterans alike. The last one will be all about anime movies. After Part Three comes out, I'm planning on doing periodic anime rec and review posts throughout the rest of the year as I find new stuff and rewatch old favorites. So be on the lookout for that. Let's get started, shall we?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><u>A Note On Anime Streaming:</u> You don't need a subscription to watch most of these animes. As long as you don't mind watching ads, you can stream this whole list on Crunchyroll or Funimation for FREE. </div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="304" data-original-width="540" height="225" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-7-Bk0YQNuGI/WlAeR5JD94I/AAAAAAAAmzo/JcRa_qM5hZkba02VeF9hjWIYtDrK0E24QCLcBGAs/s400/yoigif.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yuri!!! on Ice</b></span></span><br />Episodes: 12<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/32995/Yuri_on_Ice?q=yuri%20on%20">Synopsis</a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">It wouldn't be a post-2016 anime post without mentioning the brilliance of Yuri on Ice, would it? It is one of the most awesome animes I've seen in a long time and it's THE show that got several of my friends in anime. I can't even tell you how many times I rewatched it in 2017. It's easily my favorite anime of all time. It's a sports anime that doesn't shy away from heavier topics like anxiety and depression. The fact that it also has great music, a large and diverse cast of characters, gorgeous animation, and a wonderful queer romance is just icing on the cake. This anime is great on so many levels that I could devote a whole post to it. It currently has only twelve episodes so it's easy to binge watch in a day or over the weekend.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b>&nbsp;</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/yuri-on-ice">Crunchyroll</a></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="303" data-original-width="540" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qAOvA4M_uzE/WlAhzFFzcYI/AAAAAAAAm0A/lM-AXxs2oD4sM9fd4-znmGdQLa3f8KUlwCLcBGAs/s400/gif-my-hero-academia.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>My Hero Academia</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Episodes: 38 + 2 OVAs<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/31964/Boku_no_Hero_Academia?q=my%20hero%20a">Synopsis</a><br /><i><br /></i><i>My Hero Academia</i> is the anime that I never knew I needed in my life until I watched it this last year. It's about a superhero high school and the main character Izuku Midoriya's struggle to gain control of his quirk aka superpower. Midoriya is the type of underdog you can't help but fall in love with and root for. Actually, I fell in love with most of the characters. It quickly turned into one of my favorite animes of all time. Depending on the day you ask me, it could beat out <i>Yuri!!! on Ice</i> as my favorite. It has a large diverse cast and is full of action and humor. I can't begin to tell you how much I loved this one. It's the perfect blend of Western superheroes and Eastern culture plus it has a lot of superhero-type action scenes. It's just so much fun! We're getting Season 3 this spring and I'm so excited for it!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b>&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/124389/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/my-hero-academia">Crunchyroll</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hulu.com/my-hero-academia">Hulu</a><br /><br /><img border="0" height="224" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Wt_6DOR_F8A/WlAkCTHatwI/AAAAAAAAm0Q/0ObdHu_fdnk1rGudtMXg1wBj9jTCBoIxwCLcBGAs/s400/5a772300f1331a886f2b846fdb39f955c7fa9d09_hq.gif" width="400" /><a href="https://www.hulu.com/my-hero-academia"><br /></a><br /><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;">Snow White with the Red Hair</span></span><br />Episodes: 24 + an OVA<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/30123/Akagami_no_Shirayuki-hime?q=snow%20">Synopsis</a><br />I've watched a lot of romance anime during my tenure as an anime enthusiast so I can say without a doubt that <i>Snow White with the Red Hair</i> is one of the best romance animes I've ever seen! Contrary to what its name implies, this anime really has nothing to do with the <i>Snow White</i> story. If you are in search of a sweet and heart-warming romantic tale, then look no more. The romance between Shirayuki and Zen is absolutely adorable and perfect! There is no unnecessary bickering or drama, plus the flow of the story and their relationship is smooth and relaxing. This is an anime that can teach other animes how to handle romance and relationship development. The entire cast is absolutely fantastic! Each character had the perfect amount of depth to their development that only adds to the narrrative. The romance between Shirayuki and Zen is just so freaking perfect! I ship them so hard! The whole anime (and manga!) is all about them falling in love and supporting each other and growing into themselves. I can't recommend this one enough. I have my fingers crossed that we'll get at least one more season.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b>&nbsp; </div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/37057/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hulu.com/snow-white-with-the-red-hair">Hulu</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="270" data-original-width="480" height="225" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I2GIiDsy9nc/WlBWlu7W3PI/AAAAAAAAm14/UiejBvSRzZw3LfaunNjtLyU26IKIDqj-wCLcBGAs/s400/Yona.gif" width="400" /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="color: #3d85c6;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b>Yona of the Dawn</b></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;">Episodes: 24 + 3 OVAs<br /><a href="https://myanimelist.net/anime/25013/Akatsuki_no_Yona?q=yona%20of">Synopsis</a><br /><br />Okay. I'm going to admit now that I have a soft spot for reverse harem animes and <i>Yona of the Dawn</i> is hands down my all-time favorite out of the ones I've watched. It's the story of a spoiled princess who flees after witnessing her father's murder and after traveling through her country is determined to get her throne back so she can help the people. It's an amazing fantasy adventure anime with a bit of romance thrown in! It starts out a bit slow but by episode four I was in for the long haul. It’s just SO good. The story is intriguing but the characters are what makes this anime so great. I adore all seven of them! And I ship the romance so hard! It's not the main focus of the anime but it's so good despite that. The character development in Yona alone from the beginning to end makes it worth the watch but the other characters have just as great arcs. *hugs Shin-Ah hard* I still have my fingers crossed that we'll get another season or two but I'm not sure if that's ever going to happen. Thank God! We have the manga and it's 26 volumes of gloriousness.</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Can Be Watched On:</b></div><div style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;<a href="http://www.crunchyroll.com/yona-of-the-dawn">Crunchyroll</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.hulu.com/yona-of-the-dawn">Hulu</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://www.funimation.com/shows/95124/">Funimation</a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;">That's Part One of my Beginner's Guide to Anime. Part Two will be out next week! In the meantime, what anime would you recommend to a newbie?</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s1600/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="90" data-original-width="450" height="64" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3jg56REr_-Q/VCd6XND-V0I/AAAAAAAAJ-Y/HTQvl9f1qaQ61iE10mCd9TwI-2WR86AiACPcBGAYYCw/s320/blog%2Bsignature%2BRose%2BRed.png" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><img src="http://feeds.feedburner.com/~r/GoldiloxAndTheThreeWeres/~4/RT4bhrlCEFo" height="1" width="1" alt=""/>Jessie H.http://www.blogger.com/profile/10653366252917488366noreply@blogger.com0http://goldiloxandthethreeweres.blogspot.com/2018/01/rose-reds-beginners-guide-to-anime-part.html